Antitumour activity of Angelica archangelica leaf extract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a leaf extract from A. archangelica on the growth of Crl mouse breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Materials and METHODS: The antiproliferative activity of the extract was measured by 3H-thymidine uptake in the Crl cells in vitro. Twenty mice were injected with the Crl cells, and 11 of them were fed A. archangelica leaf extract, and the progress of the tumours was followed. RESULTS: The leaf extract was mildly antiproliferative on the Crl cells with an EC50 of 87.6 microg/ml The antitumour activity of the extract was expressed in the mice by marked reduction in tumour growth. In the experimental animals, 9 out of 11 mice developed no or very small tumours, whereas control animals, not receiving the extract, developed significantly larger tumours (p<0.01), as estimated by Mann-Whitney U-test. The antitumour activity of the leaf extract could not be explained by the antiproliferative activity of furanocoumarins present in the extract. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate the antiproliferative activity in vitro and antitumour activity in vivo of a leaf extract from A. archangelica     

2D NMR spectroscopic analyses of archangelicin from the seeds of Angelica archangelica

A total of six coumarins, bergapten (1), xanthotoxin (2), imperatorin (3), isoimperatorin (4), phellopterin (5) and archangelicin (6), have been isolated from an n-hexane extract of the seeds of Angelica archangelica. The results of comprehensive 2D NMR analyses of archangelicin are discussed.     

Evaluation of Antiseizure Activity of Essential Oil from Roots of Angelica archangelica Linn. in Mice

In the present study, the effect of essential oil of the root of Angelica archangelica Linn. was evaluated against electrically and chemically induced seizures. The seizures were induced in mice by maximal electroshock and pentylenetetrazol. The effect of essential oil of the root of Angelica archangelica on seizures was compared with standard anticonvulsant agents, phenytoin and diazepam. The essential oil of the root of Angelica archangelica suppressed duration of tonic convulsions and showed recovery in maximal electroshock induced seizures while it delayed time of onset of clonic convulsions and showed mortality protection in pentylenetetrazol induced seizures. The essential oil of the root of Angelica archangelica also produced motor impairment at the antiseizure doses. The study indicated that the essential oil exhibited antiseizure effect. The antiseizure effect may be attributed to the presence of terpenes in the essential oil.     

Taurine treatment reduces hepatic lipids and oxidative stress in chronically ethanol-treated rats

In this study, we evaluated whether taurine treatment has a protective effect on the prooxidant-antioxidant state following chronic ethanol treatment in rats. Rats were given water containing 20% ethanol (v/v) as drinking water for 3 months. Chronic ethanol treatment in drinking water resulted in increased oxidative stress in the liver of rats. Taurine treatment was performed by adding 1% taurine (w/v) to the drinking water plus injection (400 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally 3 times/week for 28 d after ethanol cessation in chronically ethanol-treatad rats. This treatment starting after ethanol cessation caused a significant decreases in serum transaminase activities and hepatic total lipid, triglyceride, malondialdehyde, and diene conjugate levels and significant increases in hepatic glutathione, vitamin E, and vitamin C levels, but did not alter the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione transferase in the liver as compared with chronically ethanol-treated rats. Accordingly, we propose that taurine has a restorative effect on ethanol-induced hepatic damage by decreasing oxidative stress.     

舒肝安乐宁浸膏对小鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用

目的 研究舒肝安乐宁浸膏对四氯化碳（CCl4）诱导的小鼠急性化学性肝损伤的保护作用.方法 采用CCl4制备小鼠急性化学性肝损伤模型,测定血清中丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）活性,肝组织中谷胱甘肽（GSH）、丙二醛（MDA）水平及谷胱甘肽过氧化酶（GSH-Px）活性,分析舒肝安乐宁浸膏对上述指标的影响.结果 舒肝安乐宁浸膏各剂量组均能升高急性化学性肝损伤小鼠肝组织GSH、GSH-Px含量（P＜0.01）,降低血清ALT、AST活性（P＜0.05或P＜0.01）与肝组织MDA含量（P＜0.05）.结论 舒肝安乐宁浸膏对CCl4所致小鼠急性化学性肝损伤具有明显的保护作用,这可能与增强谷胱甘肽系统抗氧化能力有关.     

Choice of solvent in the extraction of Angelica archangelica roots with reference to calcium blocking activity.

Twenty solvents were tested in the extraction of compounds from the roots of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae), and the calcium-antagonistic activity of the extracts was investigated. Special attention was paid to the physical and chemical properties of the solvents and their extraction abilities. The calcium antagonistic effect of the extracts was investigated by measuring the inhibition of depolarization-induced Ca2+ uptake in rat pituitary GH4C1 cells. The criteria used in determining the best solvents for the extraction were the yield and the biological activity of the extract, as well as the amount of nonpolar compounds in the extract. The final criterion used in selecting the solvent was its usability with reference to boiling point, chemical interactions (e.g. methylation), etc. Chloroform was found to be the best solvent for the extraction of nonpolar, biologically active compounds from the roots of A. archangelica.     

网状五层龙热水提取物对小鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用

网状五层龙(salacia reticulata)产于斯里兰卡和印度的南部,自古以来便被当地人们作为草药来防治一些疾病,民间常用于保肝、风湿病、镇痛、皮肤病、淋病、闭经、抗炎和糖尿病等[1,2],近年还发现网状五层龙根、茎部提取物中含有可竞争抑制小肠黏膜刷状缘内α-葡糖苷酶的抑制剂,从而延迟蔗糖、麦芽糖和淀粉等多糖分解为单糖并经肠道吸收,降低餐后高血糖和缓解胰高血糖症[3]。但是网状五层龙其他的传统作用还没有得到科学证实,为此我们采用网状五层龙热水提取物(hot water extract fromSalacia reticulata,SRHW)对四氯化碳(CCl4)所致小鼠急…     

Hepatoprotective effect of electrolyzed reduced water against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in mice

The study investigated the protective effect of electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver damage. Male ICR mice were randomly divided into control, CCl₄, CCl₄ + silymarin, and CCl₄ + ERW groups. CCl₄-induced liver lesions include leukocytes infiltration, hepatocyte necrosis, ballooning degeneration, mitosis, calcification, fibrosis and an increase of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aminotransferase (AST) activity. In addition, CCl₄ also significantly decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). By contrast, ERW or silymarin supplement significantly ameliorated the CCl₄-induced liver lesions, lowered the serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers (ALT and AST) and increased the activities of SOD, catalase, and GSH-Px in liver. Therefore, the results of this study show that ERW can be proposed to protect the liver against CCl₄-induced oxidative damage in mice, and the hepatoprotective effect might be correlated with its antioxidant and free radical scavenging effect.     

口服齐墩果酸对D-氨基半乳糖致小鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用

目的 研究口服齐墩果酸(OA)对D-氨基半乳糖诱导小鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用.方法 将♂昆明种小鼠随机分为对照组、OA给药组、模型组、OA预处理组.采用ig给予OA给药组和OA预处理组小鼠200 μmol· kg-1 OA,ig给予对照组、模型组等体积菜籽油,每天2次,连续3d,末次给药1h后,ip给予对照组、OA给药组等体积生理盐水,ip给予模型组和OA预处理组800 mg· kg-1D-氨基半乳糖溶液造模,造模8h后,收集各组小鼠的血液和肝脏组织,测定小鼠血清中天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)和肝脏中丙二醛(MDA)的含量,观察肝组织病理学的改变,并应用实时定量RT-PCR检测肝毒性相关基因的表达水平.结果 OA预处理能降低D-氨基半乳糖所致小鼠血清中AST、ALT的活性及肝组织中MDA的含量,明显改善肝细胞坏死病变的程度,并逆转小鼠急性肝损伤所致的生长停滞及DNA损伤诱导基因153(Chop10)、生长停滞及DNA损伤诱导基因45、Egr1、mKC、TNF-α mRNA表达的增高.结论 OA对D-氨基半乳糖所致小鼠急性肝损伤具有保护作用,其机制可能与缓解急性内质网应激、减轻炎症和抗氧化有关.     

Hepatoprotective effect of plant preparations

The hepatoprotector activity of original compositions of plant origin, containing beet and carrot juices, decoction of dog rose fruits, and extracts of corn silk, peppermint leaves, and common horsetail herbs was studied on an acute hepatitis model induced by tetrachloromethane. An analysis of the data on the hepatocyte cytolysis, cholestasis, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant system of blood serum showed that the preparations possess membranoprotector and antioxidant properties. This was manifested by a decrease in the activity of alanine aminotransferase and in the levels of total bilirubin and the final (malonaldehyde) and intermediate (diene conjugates) lipid peroxidation products, and by the absence of decline in the level of endogenous alpha-tocopherol and in the activity of glutathione-dependent enzymes.     

A search for degeneration in the circumventricular area of ethanol-treated mice

Mice were treated with ethanol vapour for 6 weeks and the circumventricular area of the brains prepared for light and electron microscopy. No abnormalities were found in the subfornical organ, but degeneration was found in the medial preoptic area in 2 of the 6 ethanol-treated animals. There was no indication of functional impairment of brain or body water regulation mechanisms.     

Protective effect of Aplysin on hepatic injury in ethanol-treated rats

This study evaluated the protective effects of Aplysin against ethanol-induced hepatic injury in rats and analyzed the associated mechanisms. Rats were administered orally with ethanol 8–12 ml/kg bw excluding the rats in the control group at 1 h after rats were administered by gavage doses of Aplysin (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg bw) every day. After 6 weeks, rats were sacrificed, and liver injury was evaluated by biochemical and pathological examination. Hepatocyte apoptosis was analyzed by annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Ethanol metabolic enzymes, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and Bcl-2, Bax, cytochrome c and cleaved caspase-3 expressions were evaluated by western blot analysis. These results demonstrated that Aplysin exhibited a significant hepatoprotective effect. In the ethanol-treated group, cytochrome P4502E1 and alcohol dehydrogenase were increased significantly in liver tissue. Moreover, Aplysin not only significantly reversed the ratio of NAD⁺/NADH and mitochondrial glutathione depletion, but also reversed the decreased activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I, III and IV. Overexpression of cytoplasmic cytochrome c and caspase-3 activation was suppressed by Aplysin. These results suggest that Aplysin alleviates hepatocyte apoptosis by modulating the ethanol-metabolizing pathway, attenuating oxidative stress, ameliorating mitochondrial function, inhibiting mitochondrial damage-mediated apoptosis, which ultimately prevent and repair alcoholic liver injury.     

当归多糖对小鼠免疫功能的影响

目的　研究当归多糖对小鼠免疫功能的影响。方法　sc环磷酰胺复制免疫抑制模型 ;测定胸腺、脾脏重量并计算脏器系数 ;碳粒廓清法测定单核巨噬细胞吞噬功能 ;比色法测定血清溶血素IgG、IgM含量 ;MTT法测定混合淋巴细胞培养反应。结果　在 1 0～ 1 0 0mg·kg- 1 剂量范围内 ,当归多糖能对抗环磷酰胺引起的小鼠脾萎缩 ,增加正常小鼠脾重 ,而对于正常及免疫抑制小鼠胸腺影响不大 ;促进正常及免疫抑制小鼠碳粒廓清率 ;而对小鼠血清溶血素IgG、IgM的生成有较强的抑制作用 ;在 30～ 30 0mg·L- 1 剂量范围内能促进同种异型抗原激活的小鼠脾细胞的增殖。结论　当归多糖能增强正常及免疫抑制小鼠的非特异性免疫功能 ,而对正常小鼠的体液免疫功能有抑制作用     

Hepatoprotective effect of Arazyme on CCl4-induced acute hepatic injury in SMP30 knock-out mice

Arazyme is a novel protease produced by the HY-3 strain of Aranicola proteolyticus, which is a Gram-negative aerobic bacterium that has been isolated from the intestine of the spider Nephila clavata. This study focused on the hepatoprotective effect of Arazyme on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute hepatic injury in senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30) knock-out (KO) mice and SMP30 wild-type (WT) mice. WT mice and SMP30 KO mice were divided into eight groups as follows: (i) two negative control groups (G1, G5) which were treated with a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) olive oil injection. (ii) Two positive control groups (G2, G6) which received a single i.p. CCl4 (0.4mL/kg) injection. (iii) Two vitamin C-treated groups (G3, G7) which received a single oral administration of vitamin C (100mg/kg) and were injected with a single i.p. CCl4 (0.4mL/kg). (iv) Two Arazyme-treated groups (G4, G8) which received a single oral administration of Arazyme (500mg/kg) and were injected with a single i.p. CCl4 (0.4mL/kg). Through present study, we could find that Arazyme-treated groups showed decreased degree of liver injury, increased expression of SMP30, decreased expression of phospho-Smad3 (p-Smad3), elevated expression of antioxidant proteins including sorbitol dehydrogenase, dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR), dehydrofolate reductase (DHFR), NADH dehydrogenase, glutathione S-transferase kappa 1 (GSTK1) and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) compared with non-Arazyme-treated groups. Therefore, it is concluded that Arazyme plays a significant role in protecting injured hepatocytes by increasing the expression of SMP30, inhibiting the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)/Smad pathway and elevating the expression of antioxidant proteins.     

Hepatoprotective effect of ethanol extract from Berchemia lineate against CCl4-induced acute hepatotoxicity in mice

Abstract

Context: The roots of Berchemia lineate (L.) DC. (Rhamnaceae) have been long used as a remedy for the treatment of some diseases in Guangxi Province, China.

Objective: The present study investigates the hepatoprotective effect of Berchemia lineate ethanol extract (BELE) on CCl₄-induced acute liver damage in mice.

Materials and methods: Effect of BELE administrated for 7 consecutive days was evaluated in mice by the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBIL), albulin (ALB), globulin (GLB), and total protein (TP) levels, as well as liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Moreover, histopathological examinations were also taken.

Results: Compared with the model group, administration of 400?mg/kg BELE for 7?d in mice significantly decreased the serum ALT (56.25?U/L), AST (297.67?U/L), ALP (188.20?U/L), and TBIL (17.90?mol/L), along with the elevation of TP (64.67?g/L). In addition, BELE (100, 200, and 400?mg/kg, i.g.) treated mice recorded a dose-dependent increment of SOD (291.17, 310.32, and 325.67?U/mg prot) and reduction of MDA (7.27, 6.77, and 5.33?nmol/mg prot) levels. Histopathological examinations also confirmed that BELE can ameliorate CCl₄-induced liver injuries, characterized by extensive hepatocellular degeneration/necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, congestion, and sinusoidal dilatation.

Discussion and conclusion: The results indicated that BELE possessed remarkable protective effect against acute hepatotoxicity and oxidative injuries induced by CCl₄, and that the hepatoprotective effects of BELE may be due to both the inhibition of lipid peroxidation and the increase of antioxidant activity.     

Hepatoprotective effect of the ethanol extract of Polygonum orientale on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in mice

Polygonum orientale L. (Polygonaceae) fruits have various medicinal uses, but their hepatoprotective effects have not yet been studied. This study investigated the hepatoprotective activity of the ethanolic extract of P. orientale (POE) fruits against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced acute liver injury (ALI). Mice were pretreated with POE (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 g/kg) or silymarin (0.2 g/kg) for 5 consecutive days and administered a dose of 0.175% CCl₄ (ip) on the 5th day to induce ALI. Blood and liver samples were collected to measure antioxidative activity and cytokines. The bioactive components of POE were identified through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Acute toxicity testing indicated that the LD₅₀ of POE exceeded 10 g/kg in mice. Mice pretreated with POE (0.5, 1.0 g/kg) experienced a significant reduction in their serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and reduction in the extent of liver lesions. POE reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GRd) in liver. HPLC revealed peaks at 11.28, 19.55, and 39.40 min for protocatechuic acid, taxifolin, and quercetin, respectively. In summary, the hepatoprotective effect of POE against CCl₄-induced ALI was seemingly associated with its antioxidant and anti-proinflammatory activities.     

The effect of chronically administered cannabis extract on the testicular function of mice

Daily administration of cannabis extract (2 mg/day for 45 days: Total dose 90 mg) produced a complete arrest of spermatogenesis in mice. Distinct effects were produced upon various cellular stages in the seminiferous epithelium. Regression of Leydig cell tissue and of accessory sex glands was conspicuous. These effects were reversible.     

Hepatoprotective effect of akebia saponin D on the acute liver injury induced by CCl4 in mice

目的 研究木通皂苷D对CCl4致小鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用.方法 采用CC14急性肝损伤模型,小鼠ig给予不同剂量的木通皂苷D(1、0.5、0.25 g·kg-1),并以水飞蓟素(0.2 g·kg-1)为阳性对照药,采用比色法检测小鼠血清的天冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)及肝脏中还原性谷胱甘肽(GSH)、丙二醛(MDA)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的含量.结果 各剂量木通皂苷D能显著降低CCl4所致小鼠血清中AST、ALT的水平(P＜0.01),同时升高肝脏组织中GSH 、SOD的水平(P＜0.05),降低肝脏组织中MDA的含量(P＜0.05).结论 木通皂苷D对CCl4所致小鼠急性肝损伤具有显著的保护作用,其机制可能与抗氧化作用有关.     

Hepatoprotective effect of picroliv against rifampicin-induced toxicity

Picroliv, the active constituent of the plant Picrorhiza Kurroa, showed significant hepatoprotective as well as anticholestatic activity against rifampicin-induced hepatic damage. Rifampicin (50 mg/kg ip × 6 days) resulted in the reduction of bile flow as well as its contents (bile salts and bile acids) in the conscious rat and anesthetized guinea pig. Further, it also caused a decrease in the viability and rate of oxygen consumption in isolated rat hepatocytes. Picroliv treatment significantly reversed the altered parameters of bile and hepatocytes. The hepatoprotective drug silymarin on comparison was found to be less active than picroliv. Drug Dev. Res. 40:299–303, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.