SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF INCHIN-KO-TO (YIN-CHEN-HAO-TANG) AND URSODEOXYCHOLIC ACID ON CHOLESTASIS CAUSED BY ALPHA-NAPHTHYL ISOTHIOCYANATE

The effects of the combination of Inchin-ko-to, a kampo formulation, a nd ursodeoxycholic acid on experimental cholestasis were investigated. When administered intraduodenally at noneffective doses of these drug s to rats with intrahepatic cholestasis caused by alpha-naphthyl isoth iocyanate, the bile dow returned to a near-normal level and the serum bile acid profile was improved. Among the major components of the kamp o formula, Artemisiae capillaris Flos contributed to the change in the bite Bow, and Gardeniae Fructus contributed to the improved serum bil e acid profile, because ursodeoxycholic acid increased and cholic acid decreased. The results show that urosdeoxycholic acid and Inchin-ko-t o synergistically improved experimental cholestasis and that this effe ct occurred because of different functions of the components of Inchin -ko-to.