title: Protective effects of an ethanol extract ofAngelica keiskeiagainst acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 and HepaRG cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  AlthoughAngelica keiskei(AK) has widely been utilized for the purpose of general health improvement among Asian, its functionality and mechanism of action. The aim of this study was to determine the protective effect of ethanol extract of AK (AK-Ex) on acute hepatotoxicity induced by acetaminophen (AAP) in HepG2 human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cells and HepaRG human hepatic progenitor cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  AK-Ex was prepared HepG2 and HepaRG cells were cultured with various concentrations and 30 mM AAP. The protective effects of AK-Ex against AAP-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 and HepaRG cells were evaluated using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, flow cytometry, and Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AK-Ex, when administered prior to AAP, increased cell growth and decreased leakage of LDH in a dose-dependent manner in HepG2 and HepaRG cells against AAP-induced hepatotoxicity. AK-Ex increased the level of Bcl-2 and decreased the levels of Bax, Bok and Bik decreased the permeability of the mitochondrial membrane in HepG2 cells intoxicated with AAP. AK-Ex decreased the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and the activation of caspase-9, -7, and -3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that AK-Ex downregulates apoptosis via intrinsic and extrinsic pathways against AAP-induced hepatotoxicity. We suggest that AK could be a useful preventive agent against AAP-induced apoptosis in hepatocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, 1 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24252, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dongseo University, Busan 47011, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, 1 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24252, Korea.
authors.forename: Cha-Kwon
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Center for Efficacy Assessment and Development of Functional Food and Drugs, Hallym University, 1 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24252, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Ji
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, 1 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24252, Korea.
authors.forename: Il-Jun
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Kang
keywords: Liver; apoptosis; functional food; hepatocyte