Effect of the Seed Extract of Fagopyrum Tartaricum on the Liver Acutely Injured by Chemicals in Mice

Objective To probe into the protective effect of the ethanol extract of the seed of Fagopyrum tartaricum(FTGE)on the liver acutely injured by chemicals in mice. Methods 120 mice of the Kunming strain served as the subjects of the experiment. For the study of the effect of FTGE on the liver injured by CCl_(4) , 60 mice were randomly divided into 6 equal groups. Mice of the low dose, medium dose and high dose groups were given each by gastragavage 20,40 and 60 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) of FTGE for 7 consecutive days, respectively. Mice of the normal control group and CCl_(4 )model group were given each equivalent amount of purified water by the same route for 7 days. Mice of the positive control group were given each 200 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) of bifendate by gastrogavage as well for 7 days. Except for the mice of the normal control group, animals of all the other 5 groups were given each 7 days later an intraperitoncal injection of 10 mg·kg~(-1) of 0.1% CCl_(4) peanut oil solution. After a 16 h. fasting, blood samples were collected for the determination of serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)while liver tissue was taken for pathological examination. For the study of the effect of FIGE on the liver injured by galactosamine(D-Galn), 60 mice were divided into 6 equal groups. Mice of the low, medium and high dose groups were given each by gastrogavage 20,40 and 60 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) of FIGE for 12 consecutive days. Mice of the normal control group and D-Galn groups were given each 20 mL·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) of 0.9% sodium chloride solution by the same route for 12 days. Mice of the positive control group were given each 15 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) of bifendate by gastrogavage as well for 12 days. Except for mice of the normal control group, rodents of all the other 5 groups were given each 1 h. after the last gastrogavage an intraperitoneal injection of 800 (mg·kg~(-1)) of 10% D-Galn. After a 16 h fast, the mice of all 6 groups were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for the determination of serum ALT and AST while liver tissue was taken for pathological examination. Results FTGE was shown to lower the activities of serum ALT and AST very strikingly in a dose dependent manner in mice with acute liver injury induced by chemical hepatotoxins CCl_(4) and D-Galn(P0.01). A dramatic alleviation of the histopathological changes of the liver was also demonstrated in mice pretreated with FTGE before the induction of liver injury as compared with those of mice of the CCl_(4) and D-Galn model groups without FTGE pretreatment(P0.01). Conclusion FTGE was shown to exert a remarkable protective effect on the murine liver acutely injured by CCl_(4) and D-Galn.