Effects of DA-5513 on alcohol metabolism and alcoholic fatty liver in rats / 한국실험동물학회지

Hangover is characterized by a number of unpleasant physical and mental symptoms that occur after heavy alcohol drinking. In addition, consistently excessive alcohol intake is considered as a major reason causes liver disease. The present study investigated the in vivo effects of DA-5513 (Morning care® Kang Hwang) on biological parameters relevant to hangover relief and alcoholic fatty liver. Blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations were determined in rats administered a single dose of alcohol and treated with DA-5513 or commercially available hangover relief beverages (Yeomyung® and Ukon®). The effects of DA-5513 on alcoholic fatty liver were also determined in rats fed alcohol-containing Lieber-DeCarli diets for 4 weeks. Serum liver function markers (aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities) and serum/liver lipid levels were assessed. Blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations were lower in the groups treated with DA-5513 or Yeomyung®, as compared with control rats. However, Ukon® did not produce any significant effects on these parameters. Treatment with DA-5513 significantly reduced serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities and markedly reduced serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as compared with control rats. Histological observations using Oil Red O staining found that DA-5513 delayed the development of alcoholic fatty liver by reversing hepatic fat accumulation. These findings suggest that DA-5513 could have a beneficial effect on alcohol-induced hangovers and has the potential to ameliorate alcoholic fatty liver.

The Pharmacological Effects of Benachio-F(R) on Rat Gastrointestinal Functions

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a prevalent idiopathic upper gastrointestinal (GI) disorder characterized by diverse symptomatology including epigastric pain or discomfort, postprandial fullness, and early satiety. Although its pathophysiological mechanisms have not yet been fully established, the available studies suggest that the etiology of FD is invariably multifactorial. Benachio-F(R) (BF) is a proprietary liquid formulation of 7 herbal extracts that has been proposed to address this multifactorial etiology using multi-drug phytotherapy. The pharmacological effects of BF, in comparison with those of two other herbal products (Whalmyungsu(R); WM and Iberogast(R); IB) were evaluated in rats. In a laparotomy-induced rat model of delayed GI transit, BF significantly accelerated the delayed gastric emptying caused by morphine, apomorphine, and cisplatin, and also significantly increased mean gastric transit, as compared to the control animals. BF markedly increased gastric accommodation in rats and produced higher gastric volume values than did the control treatment. The effects of BF were generally comparable or superior to those of WM and IB in these models. Furthermore, BF significantly stimulated biliary flow, as compared to the control treatment. These results indicated that BF might have great potential as an effective phytotherapeutic agent capable of reducing GI symptoms and increasing quality of life in FD patients.