Influence of silibinin on the permeability of primary cultured cell membranes

Abstract

Silibinin, an antihepatotoxic flavanolignane present in Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn in concentrations greater than 20 μM, inhibits the permeability of parenchymal liver cells to amino acid and nucleotide precursors in vitro by interacting unspecifically with the protein components of the plasma membrane. These findings demonstrate that the hepatoprotective activity of silibinin could be explained, at least in part, by its ability to stabilize the membrane of hepatocytes. This stabilizing effect may find a beneficial application in the therapy of various hepatic disorders especially those involving abnormal fragility of the hepatocyte membrane. This work pinpoints the plasma membrane of parenchymal liver cells as the target for silibinin action and confirms the mechanism of action against the toxic peptide, α-amanitin, from the death cup mushroom Amanita phalloides.