Experimental Study On Protective Effect Of Cassia Seed Extract Against Acute Liver Injury

Objective: To observe the effect of Cassia seed ethanol extract against carbon tetrachloride acute liver injury in mice and to discuss some mechanisms. Methods: Sixty male mice were randomly divided into normal control group (Agroup), model control group (B group), bifendate pills group(C group), high dose group (D group), middle dose group (E group), low dose group (F group), each of ten. The mice in the above groups were fed for 7 days. The drug groups were pretreated intragastrically with 21.6 g/kg, 10.3 g/kg, 5.2 g/kg Cassia seed ethanol extract, C group animals were pretreated intragastrically with 0.2 g/kg bifendate, A and B group animals were given only the same volume physiological saline. CCl₄ induced the model mice of acute liver injury. The serum AST, ALT, SOD activities, MDA and NO contents, liver homogenate SOD activity, MDA content and mitochondrion Ca²⁺-ATP activity were measured in each group above; pathomorphology changes in light microscopy, ultrastructural and enzymes hisochemical were observed.Results: (1) Cassia seed ethanol extract significantly decreased CCl₄-induced acute hepatic injury with increasing the activities of AST and ALT in serum(p<0.01); (2) Serum SOD activity significantly increased(P<0.01), liver homogenate SOD increased between D group and E group(P<0.05); (3) Serum and liver homogenate MDA contents different extent decreased in drug groups; (4) D,E,F groups of serum NO content were significantly lower than B group; (5) Mitochondrion Ca²⁺-ATP activity distinctness increased between D group and E group (P<0.05); (6) The severity of liver injury was slight in the all drug groups in pathological examination. D and E groups were better than B group about the positive results of SDH and ATP...