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J.Health Sci., 52(4), 344-351, 2006

Effect of Herbal Extract Mixtures on Serum and Liver Lipid Metabolism in Chronic Ethanol - Administered Rats

Mok Kyung Kim, Sun Hee Hyun, and Se Young Choung*

Department of Hygienic Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoeki-Dong, Dongdaemoon-Ku, Seoul 130-701, Korea

This study investigated the effects of mixtures of Vitis vinifera (V), Schizandra chinensis (S), Taraxacum officinale (T), Gardenia jasminoides (G), Angelica acutiloba (A), and Paeonia japonica (P) on fatty liver and hepatotoxicity induced by an ethanol liquid diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a normal diet (ND), ethanol diet (ED), ED + VST (ethanol diet + V 100 + S 150 + T 150 mg/kg/day), ED + VGS (ethanol diet + V 100 + G 150 + S 150 mg/kg/day), ED + VGT (ethanol diet + V 100 + G 150 + T 150 mg/kg/day), and ED + VAP (ethanol diet + V 100 + A 150 + P 150 mg/kg/day). Rats fed liquid diets containing alcohol for 6 weeks showed remarkable increases in serum and hepatic lipid levels, indicating the onset of alcoholic fatty liver. Greater increases in alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities in serum were observed in the groups fed alcohol-containing diets compared with those in the ND group. Treatment with ED + VST, ED + VGS, ED + VGT, and ED + VAP decreased the levels of triglycerides, free fatty acids, and total cholesterol in the serum and liver, with a concomitant reduction in the activity of serum ALT and ALP. These data suggest that the plant extracts examined in this study can be utilized as a health functional food or new drug candidates for the treatment of fatty liver and hepatotoxicity induced by chronic alcohol consumption.