Comparison of Anti-inflammatory and Hepatoprotective Activities of Bupleurum marginatum Wall. ex DC. and Bupleurum chinense DC / 医药导报

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects of Bupleurum marginatum Wall. ex DC. and Bupleurum chinense DC. Methods The anti-inflammatory effect of two kinds of radix bupleuri decoction were compared using the xylene-induced ear edema mice model and the egg white-induced foot swelling rats model. Acute liver injury in mice was induced through intraperitoneal injection of peanut oil with 0. 1%carbon tetrachloride. Alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) , aspartate aminotransferase ( AST ) , and alkaline phosphatase ( ALP ) in serum, superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) , malondialdehyde ( MDA ) , and glutathione ( GSH ) in liver tissue homogenate were detected. Histopathological changes, transforming growth factor-β ( TGF-β) and nuclear factor-κB ( NF-κB) in hepatic tissues were also observed. Results Ear swelling experiment showed that the decoction of both Bupleurum marginatum Wall. ex DC. and Bupleurum chinense DC. had equal anti-inflammatory effects (P>0. 05). Similarly,the decoction of Bupleurum marginatum Wall. ex DC. and Bupleurum chinense DC. improved levels of ALT,AST,SOD,GSH,and MDA to the same extent compared with the model control group ( P 0. 05 ). Histopathological and immunohistochemical experiments showed that expressions of TGF-β and NF- κB were similar between the two kinds of radix bupleuri. Conclusion Bupleurum marginatum Wall. ex DC. and Bupleurum chinense DC. have similar anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects.