The influence of silybin from Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. on in vitro phosphatidyl choline biosynthesis in rat livers.

In rat livers, removed 60 min after i.p. application of 150.6 mg/kg silybin-dihemisuccinate-di-Na-salt, in vitro incorporation of choline-(methyl-14C) into phosphatidyl choline by the postmitochondrial fraction of liver homogenates was enhanced in comparison with controls. These results are associated with increased activities of CTP-choline-phosphate cytidyltransferase. Enzyme activities were also enhanced after addition of 7.5 x 10(-6) mol/l silybin to incubation mixtures obtained from untreated rats.