Protective effect of the aqueous extract from the root of Platycodon grandiflorum on cholestasis-induced hepatic injury in mice.

CONTEXT

The root of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. (Campanulaceae) has been widely studied for its hepatoprotective effects against various hepatotoxicants.

OBJECTIVE

The present study evaluated the protective effect of the standardized aqueous extract of P. grandiflorum (BC703) on cholestasis-induced hepatic injury in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

BC703 is a standardized aqueous extract of P. grandiflorum in reference to platycodin D (at least 0.8%). The mice were allocated into five groups as follows: Sham-operated, bile duct ligation (BDL) alone, and BDL with BC703 (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg BW) treated group. BC703 was given for 3 consecutive days before BDL operation. The animals were sacrificed by CO₂ anesthesia post-24 h of BDL operations.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Serum alanine aminotransferase and serum aspartate aminotransferase increased to 395.2 ± 90.0 and 266.0 ± 45.6 Unit/L in the BDL alone group and decreased with BC703 in a dose-dependent manner. Especially the 10 mg/kg of BC703-treated mice showed a 77% decrease of serum alanine aminotransferase and 56% of aspartate aminotransferase as compared with BDL alone. Decreased antioxidant enzyme levels in BDL alone group were elevated in BC703-treated groups ranging from 7 to 29% for glutathione and from 13 to 25% for superoxide dismutase. BC703 treatment also attenuated malondialdehyde (from 3 to 32%) and nitric oxide levels (from 32 to 50%) as compared with BDL alone. Histopathological studies further confirmed the hepatoprotective effect of BC703 in BDL-induced cholestesis.

CONCLUSION

BC703 could attenuate liver injury by BDL in mice, and test results indicate that BC703 might be useful in cholestatic liver injury.