INVESTIGATION OF KOREAN PLANT-EXTRACTS FOR POTENTIAL PHYTOTHERAPEUTICAGENTS AGAINST B-VIRUS HEPATITIS

The present study was undertaken to identify potential phytotherapeuti c agents among the aqueous extracts of 151 herbal medicinal plants of Korea. Extracts were assayed for (1) binding potency to hepatitis B-vi rus surface antigen (HBsAg), and (2) inhibition of serum hepatitis B-v irus DNA polymerase activity. Of the 151 aqueous plant extracts tested , 33 demonstrated a positive precipitation reaction with HBsAg(+) seru m, and 15 of these specifically bound HBsAg in serum as well as recomb inant HBsAg (Hepavax(R)). Nine extracts competitively inhibited > 80% of anti-HBsAg antibody binding to Hepavax(R) HBsAg, Furthermore, nine of these 15 plant extracts also exhibited greater than 25%-50% inhibit ion of hepatitis B-virus (HBV) DNA polymerase activity, and also signi ficantly stimulated production of the potent cytokine, tumour necrosis factor (TNF). None of the extract concentrations used altered liver f unction parameters of normal rats.