Study on the protective effect of Perilla frutescens extract on chemical liver injury in mice.

Objective To study the protective effect of Perilla frutescens extract (PE) on acute chemical liver injury in mice. Method Eighty mice were randomly divided into eight groups: normal control group (NC), model control group (MC), positive control group treated with 200 mg/kg bifendate (DDB), prevention groups treated with 11 or 44 mg/kg rosmarinic acid (RAD), prevention groups treated with 30, 60, or 120 mg/kg PE. Normal saline was given to NC and MC group daily and the other groups were given corresponding drugs at the same volume and same way for successive 20d. The model of acute chemical liver injury was set up in mice respectively by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and acetaminophen (APAP) after last administration. The activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotran- sferase (AST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the content of malondia- dehyde (MDA) and triglyceride (TG) were detected respectively in serum and liver. Results PE significantly reduced the activities of ALT, AST, level of TG in serum and level of MDA in liver, and increased the activities of SOD, GSH-Px in liver in acute chemical liver injury induced by CCl4 and APAP. The pathologic changes in liver in PE groups were slighter than in MC group. Conclusion PE showssignificant antioxidative effect in protecting acute chemical liver injury induced by CCl4 and APAP in mice.