Effect of Oren-gedoku-to (Huanglian-Jie-Du-Tang) extract on disruption of hepatic antioxidant defense systems in rats treated with D-galactosamine.

We have indicated that the antioxidant action of Oren-gedoku-to (Huanglian-Jie-Du-Tang) extract (TJ-15), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, may contribute to its preventive effect on the progression of D-galactosamine (GAL)-induced liver injury in rats. Herein, we examined a possibility that TJ-15 exerts this preventive effect by attenuating the disruption of hepatic antioxidant defense systems in GAL-treated rats. TJ-15 (500 mg/kg) was orally administered to rats injected with GAL (500 mg/kg, i.p.) at 6 h after hepatotoxin treatment. In the liver of rats treated with GAL alone, the concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), an index of lipid peroxidation, increased at 24 h, but not at 6 h, while reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid concentrations and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and Se-glutathione peroxidase (Se-GSH-px) activities decreased at 24 h, but not at 6 h. Post-administered TJ-15 prevented all these changes observed at 24 h after GAL treatment. TJ-15 administered to GAL-untreated rats in the same manner did not affect the hepatic TBARS, GSH, and ascorbic acid concentrations and SOD, catalase, and Se-GSH-px activities. These results indicate that post-administered TJ-15 attenuates the disruption of hepatic antioxidant defense systems in GAL-treated rats, which may contribute to its preventive effect on the progression of GAL-induced liver injury.