Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Acathopanax senticosus

Acathopanax senticosus (Rupr, et Maxim.) Harms. is a popular folk medicine used as a nutrient for hepatitis and cancer in Taiwan. In this study, the a ntioxidant activity of the crude extract and the hepatoprotective activitie s on CCl4- or acetaminophen-induced toxicity in the rat liver were evaluate d. Our results suggest that A. senticosus exerts some antioxidant effects. On a CCl4- or acetaminophen-intoxicated model, the levels of aspartate amin otransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were increased by CCl 4- or acetaminophen administration and reduced by treatment with the plant extract. Histological changes around the hepatic central vein were also rec overed by treatments. However, treatments with larger doses of the crude ex tract of A. senticosus enhanced liver damage. This result suggests that eve n if A. senticosus had hepatoprotective activity in small doses, treatment with larger doses would possibly induce some cell toxicity. Copyright (C) 2 000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.