Protective effects of bergenin, the major constituent of Mallotus japonicus, on D-galactosamine-intoxicated rat hepatocytes

This study was designed to investigate the effects of bergenin against D-ga lactosamine-induced injury in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Bergenin (1 00 mu M) decreased the release of glutamic pyruvic transaminase and sorbito l dehydrogenase by 62 and 50%, respectively, into hepatocyte medium incubat ed for 14 h with 1.5 mM galactosamine. Decreased RNA synthesis by 1.5 mM ga lactosamine was recovered 2.5 times compared with that of control hepatocyt es at 100 mu M bergenin. Therefore, the present results suggest that bergen in show hepatoprotective effects against galactosamine-intoxicated rat hepa tocytes by inhibiting the release of glutamic pyruvic transaminase and sorb itol dehydrogenase as well as by increasing RNA synthesis. (C) 2000 Elsevie r Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.