Abstract |
Sho-saiko-to extract, a Chinese herbal medicine, is widely used for treatment of chronic hepatitis in Japan. However, it is not clear what conditions Sho-saiko-to extract improves hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. We therefore induced various stages of liver injury in model rats and administered Sho-saiko-to extract. We then evaluated the liver inflammation and liver fibrosis-improving effects of Sho-saiko-to extract. The liver injury model rats were produced by administration of various doses of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) and Sho-saiko-to extract was administered to these rats. Then the liver inflammation and fibrosis-improving effects of Sho-saiko-to extract were evaluated according to L-asparate aminotransferase (AST), L-alanine aminotransferase (ALT), liver retinoid levels, levels of hydroxyproline, Transforming Growth Factor-beta ( TGF-beta), and the liver fibrosis area. These indicators depended on the total doses of DMN. The ability of Sho-saiko-to extract to improve liver inflammation and fibrosis was limited to the following levels of the respective parameters: AST levels (234-264 U/l), ALT levels (208-232 U/l), TGF-beta levels (1102-1265 pg/g liver tissue), hydroxyproline levels (633-719 nmol/g liver tissue), and liver fibrosis area (9.7-10.6 times for normal rat). These findings suggested that Sho-saiko-to extract is effective in the treatment of liver inflammation and fibrosis up to a certain degree of severity, but it produces no improvement in more severe cases.
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Authors | Masahiko Kusunose, Bing Qiu, Tailin Cui, Atsuhide Hamada, Saburo Yoshioka, Masahide Ono, Mitsuhiko Miyamura, Shojiro Kyotani, Yutaka Nishioka |
Journal | Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
(Biol Pharm Bull)
Vol. 25
Issue 11
Pg. 1417-21
(Nov 2002)
ISSN: 0918-6158 [Print] Japan |
PMID | 12419951
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Drugs, Chinese Herbal
- shosaiko-to
- Dimethylnitrosamine
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Topics |
- Animals
- Dimethylnitrosamine
(toxicity)
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Drugs, Chinese Herbal
(isolation & purification, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
- Inflammation
(chemically induced, drug therapy, pathology)
- Liver
(drug effects, pathology)
- Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental
(chemically induced, drug therapy, pathology)
- Male
- Phytotherapy
(methods)
- Rats
- Rats, Wistar
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