Hepatoprotective effects of the water extract from adzuki bean hulls on acetaminophen-induced damage in rat liver.

We examined the hepatoprotective effect of water-extract from adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) hulls on acetaminophen (AAP)-induced damage in rat liver. F344/DuCrj rats of 8 weeks of age were fed diets without and with 0.5% AAP or besides it 5% adzuki extract (lyophilized) on a daily basis over a period of 4 wk. At that time, serum aspartate aminotransferase activity in only AAP-treated group was higher than in both control and AAP plus adzuki extract (AAPA)-treated groups, while hepatic glutathione content and hepatic glutathione reductase and catalase activities in the AAP-treated group were lower than in the control group in contrast to the reverse in the AAPA-treated group. Hepatic phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide and phosphatidylethanolamine hydroperoxide concentrations were higher in the AAP-treated group than in the control group, and were lower in the AAPA-treated group than in the AAP-treated group. Hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity was higher in the AAP-treated group than in the control group, although there was no significant difference between both AAP- and AAPA-treated groups in this respect. These findings suggest that the adzuki extract will serve as a prophylactic against oxidative damage to the liver.