Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, P. M. B. 12003 Lagos, Nigeria.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2010 May 4;129(1):46-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2010.02.024. Epub 2010 Feb 26.
The leaf decoction of Byrsocarpus coccineus (Connaraceae) is drunk for the treatment of jaundice in West African traditional medicine.
To investigate the hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant effects of Byrsocarpus coccineus in carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
Group allotment in this study included vehicle, CCl(4), Byrsocarpus coccineus 1000 mg/kg alone, Byrsocarpus coccineus 200, 400, and 1000 mg/kg+CCl(4) and Livolin((R)) 20mg/kg+CCl(4), and treatment was carried out accordingly. On the 7th day, rats were sacrificed and blood was withdrawn by cardiac puncture. The levels and activities of serum biochemical parameters and antioxidant enzymes were then assayed using standard procedures.
CCl(4) significantly (P<0.05) increased the levels of ALT and AST and reduced total protein. In CCl(4) treated animals, Byrsocarpus coccineus (200, 400, and 1000 mg/kg) dose-dependently and significantly decreased ALT, AST and ALP levels with peak effect produced at the highest dose. Conversely, Byrsocarpus coccineus produced significant increases in albumin and total protein levels. The standard drug produced significant effects in respect of ALT (downward arrow), albumin (upward arrow), and total protein (upward arrow). CCl(4) also produced significant (P<0.05) reductions in the activity of catalase, SOD, peroxidase and GSH, and conversely increased MDA level. Byrsocarpus coccineus produced significant and dose-dependent reversal of CCl(4)-diminished activity of the antioxidant enzymes and reduced CCl(4)-elevated level of MDA. The standard drug also significantly increased CCl(4)-diminished antioxidant enzymes activity and reduced CCl(4)-elevated MDA level. In general, the effects of the standard drug were comparable and not significantly different from those of Byrsocarpus coccineus.
The results obtained in this study suggest that the aqueous leaf extract of Byrsocarpus coccineus possesses hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant effects. This finding justifies the use of this preparation in West African traditional medicine for the treatment of liver disease.
在西非传统医学中，红叶浆果（山茱萸科）的叶煎剂被用于治疗黄疸。
研究红叶浆果对四氯化碳（CCl4）诱导的大鼠肝毒性的肝保护和体内抗氧化作用。
本研究的分组包括载体、CCl4、红叶浆果 1000mg/kg 单独组、红叶浆果 200、400 和 1000mg/kg+CCl4 组以及 Livolin((R))20mg/kg+CCl4 组，并相应地进行了治疗。第 7 天，通过心脏穿刺取出大鼠的血液。然后使用标准程序测定血清生化参数和抗氧化酶的水平和活性。
CCl4 显著（P<0.05）增加了 ALT 和 AST 的水平，并降低了总蛋白水平。在 CCl4 处理的动物中，红叶浆果（200、400 和 1000mg/kg）剂量依赖性地显著降低 ALT、AST 和 ALP 水平，最高剂量产生峰值效应。相反，红叶浆果显著增加白蛋白和总蛋白水平。标准药物在 ALT（向下箭头）、白蛋白（向上箭头）和总蛋白（向上箭头）方面产生了显著的效果。CCl4 还显著（P<0.05）降低了过氧化氢酶、SOD、过氧化物酶和 GSH 的活性，相反增加了 MDA 水平。红叶浆果显著且剂量依赖性地逆转了 CCl4 降低的抗氧化酶活性，并降低了 CCl4 升高的 MDA 水平。标准药物还显著增加了 CCl4 降低的抗氧化酶活性，并降低了 CCl4 升高的 MDA 水平。总的来说，标准药物的作用与红叶浆果的作用相当，没有显著差异。
本研究结果表明，红叶浆果的水提叶提取物具有肝保护和体内抗氧化作用。这一发现证明了该制剂在西非传统医学中用于治疗肝脏疾病的合理性。
