In Vitro Detection Of Human Liver Cell Toxicity Induced By XIAO CHAI HU Decoction And Its' Components

Recently, more and more attention is focused on the clinic adverse effects of XIAO CHAI HU Decoction in liver. The report of liver lesion in animal experiments doesn't consist with the clinic reports. There's no efficient experimental evidence to confirm the liver toxicity induced by XIAO CHAI HU Decoction.Human liver cancer cell toxicity was detected by using MTT method to determine the effect of various recipes of XIAO CHAI HU decoction. Conclusion: Original XIAO CHAI HU decoction is toxic to human liver cells. HUANG QIN (Radix Scutellariae) is the main toxic herb. CHAI HU (Radix Bupleuri) can increase the toxic effect of HUANG QIN when putting CHAI HU and HUANG QIN together although CHAI HU itself has no toxic effect. BAN XIA (Rhizoma Pinelliae) can decrease the toxic effect of HUANG QIN plus CHAI HU. The experimental results in normal human liver cells consisted with the results in human liver cancer cells. We think the activity test of human liver cancer cells maybe a good screening model for drugs induce liver cells toxicity. By using this model, we can screen large amount of drugs for their toxic effects to liver cells quickly, conveniently, and reliably.Human liver cancer cell toxicity was detected by using MTT method to determine the effects of baicalin and baicalein, two main components of HUANG QIN in XIAO CHAI HU Decoction. Conclusion: Baicalin show toxic effect to liver cells, but the liver toxicity effect of XIAO CHAI HU Decoction and HUANG QIN is not totally contributed by baicalin. Each concentration group of Baicalein show no toxic effect to liver cells.Mouse model with liver-specific knockout of Cytochrome P450-reductase (Cpr) gene was used to study the metabolism route of baicalin in vitro microsome incubation experiments. Conclusion: Baicalin can metabolite both in wild type and CPR knockout microsomes. Baicalin doesn't metabolite though cytochrome P450, it may metabolite though other routes.