Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the anti-stress and hepato-protective effects of Schisandra Lignans Extract (SLE) on stress-induced liver damage. Seven weeks old male mice were fixed in a restraint tube for 18 h to induce liver damage. SLE was orally administered to animals for 5 days at dosages of 100 and 200 mg/kg/day before exposed to restraint stress. Oral administration of SLE significantly reduced restraint-induced liver damage in experimental animal. SLE was further found to significantly alleviate the provocation of corticosterone in stressed mice. SLE also significantly decreased oxidative damage and increased anti-oxidative capability of liver cells by preventing the over production and accumulation of free radicals. In conclusion, the protective effects of SLE on stress-induced liver damage were confirmed, and the correlation between hepatoprotective and anti-stress effects of schisandra lignans was possible related to its alleviation on the malignant effects of stressors for bio-homeostasis, such as balance of oxidation and reduction in cells.
Highlights
Fructus schisandrae (F. schisandrae) is the dried mature fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill
To determine whether glucocorticoid is involved in restraint-stress-induced liver damage, corticosterone level in plasma was evaluated by the method of HPLC with UV absorbance detector at 254 nm
Restraint stress caused a significant elevation of plasma ALT in mice, which was consistent with our previous reports [16, 17]
Summary
Fructus schisandrae (F. schisandrae) is the dried mature fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. It is regarded as a medical herb in both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western Herbal Medicine (WHM) [1]. Recent pharmacological studies demonstrated that its pharmacological effects in TCM were related with its antistress effects [3]. In WHM, the main application of F. schisandrae is in hepatoprotection treatment, used in acute or chronic liver disease and poor liver function [4]. Since the 1970s, the crude herb has been developed as an alternative medicine for the treatment of various liver injuries [5,6,7]. There are no reports indicated the correlations between the antistress and liver protective effects of F. schisandrae
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