Hepatoprotective function of Penthorum chinense Pursh.

This research was to figure out the hepatoprotective constituents of Penthorum chinense Pursh, a typical species both for food and medicine, using carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic hepatotoxicity in HL-7702 cells. Cell viability, levels of microsomal enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined in homogenates of the liver cells. Results showed that the cell viability increased significantly in all test groups in a concentration-dependent manner and the content of the peroxidation product MDA decreased significantly, similar to the serum levels of hepatic enzyme biomarkers (ALT and AST). The effects of 70% ethanol extracts and Vc were better than 95% ethanol and water extracts, and the ethyl acetate extracts further obtained from 70% ethanol fraction showed the highest hepatoprotective activity, even better than Vc. The ethyl acetate fraction from 70% ethanol extracts is responsible for the hepatoprotective function of P. chinense.