[Experimental study on liver protective effect of Artemisia rupestris extract].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the protective effect of Artemisia rupestris extract (ARE) on chemical liver injury and immunological hepatitis.

METHODS

Mice model of immunological hepatitis was established by lipopolysaccharide plus Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG), and the models of liver injury was induced by D-galactosamine or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in mice and rats. The effects of ARE in preventing and treating immunological hepatitis and protecting liver injury were observed.

RESULTS

ARE significantly lowered the serum alanine transaminase (ALT) in immunological hepatitis (P < 0.05), CCl4 induced liver injury model mice and rats (P < 0.01), and in D-galactosamine induced liver injury mice (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

ARE has significantly protective effect against chemical liver injury and could treat immunological hepatitis, but with no effect in preventing immunological hepatitis. These might be the partial pharmacologic basis for using ARE in treating hepatitis.