Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Alnus japonica extracts on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

• Published in: Phytotherapy research Vol. 18; no. 12; pp. 971 - 975
• Main Authors: Kim, S.T, Kim, J.D, Ahn, S.H, Ahn, G.S, Lee, Y.I, Jeong, Y.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.12.2004; Wiley
• Subjects: Acetaminophen; Alnus; Alnus japonica; Animals; antioxidant; Antioxidants - administration & dosage; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - etiology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - prevention & control; cytotoxicity; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; free radical scavenger; General pharmacology; Hepatocytes - drug effects; hepatoprotective; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Protective Agents - administration & dosage; Protective Agents - pharmacology; Protective Agents - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rat; Hepatoprotector; Toxicity; Liver; Cytotoxicity; Extract; Alnus japonica; Free radical; Medicinal plant; Paracetamol; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Betulaceae; Digestive system; Pharmacognosy; Rodentia; Alnus; Antioxidant; Radical scavenger; hepatoprotective; free radical scavenger; Vertebrata; acetaminophen; Mammalia; Analgesic; Animal; Plant origin; Antipyretic; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1540

The stem bark of the Betulaceae plant Alnus japonica, which is indigenous to Korea, has been used as a popular folk medicine for hepatitis and cancer. In this study, the antioxidant activity of the crude extract and the hepatoprotective activities on acetaminophen (AAP)‐induced toxicity in the rat liver were evaluated. We investigated the effect of the methanol (AJM) and solvent fracton of the stem bark of Alnus japonica (AJ) on AAP‐induced hepatotoxicity in rats. In rat hepatocyte culture, pretreatment with AJM (50, 100, 150 and 200 µg[sol ]ml) significantly decreased the cytotoxicity of AAP in a dose‐dependent manner. The pretreated with EtOAc and BuOH fraction led to an increase in free radical scavenging activity and a decrease in inhibition of lipid peroxidation, both superoxide dismutase and catalase prevent the hepatotoxicity by AAP in the treatment of A. japonica fraction. We conclude that AJ is an important antioxidant in AAP‐induced live hepatotoxicity and that extract of AJM plays a hepatoprotective effects in the against AAP‐induced cytotoxicity in cultured rat hepatocytes in vitro. Pending more evaluation for safety and efficacy, AJ can potentially be used in mitigating AAP‐induced hepatotoxicity. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.