ENHANCEMENT OF HEPATIC GLUTATHIONE REGENERATION CAPACITY BY A LIGNAN-ENRICHED EXTRACT OF FRUCTUS SCHISANDRAE IN RATS

Exposure of liver homogenates to an in vitro tert-butyl hydroperoxide challenge can be used as a means for measuring the reduced glutathione regeneration capacity (GRC) of hepatic tissues. Pretreatment of rats with a lignan-enriched extract of Fructus Schisandrae (FS) caused a mo derate enhancement of hepatic GRC in control rats, but the GRC enhanci ng effect of FS pretreatment on hepatic tissues was greatly exaggerate d after CCl4 challenge. This in vitro bioassay can be used for investi gating the hepatic GRC promoting action of orally active agents.