Clinical study of urinary sulfated bile acids in patients with hepatitis C virus.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Sulfation is considered to be a detoxifying mechanism for bile acids, which allows the sulfated bile acids to be eliminated in the urine (urinary sulfated bile acids: USBA) by enhancing renal clearance when serum bile acids increase due to hepatobiliary disease. We measured urinary sulfated bile acids in patients positive for hepatitis C virus and studied the relation between USBA and standard liver function tests. METHODOLOGY: Seventy-eight outpatients could be followed for at least one year were enrolled in this study. Blood and urine samples were simultaneously obtained from the patients. The measured urinary sulfated bile acids levels were adjusted for the urinary creatinine concentration and the normal value was defined <8 micromol/g creatinine. RESULTS: Among the 78 patients, the mean USBA level of 26 carriers, 37 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 9 with liver cirrhosis, and 6 with hepatocellular carcinoma were 6.0 +/- 6.1 micromol/g creatinine (mean +/- SD), 27.9 +/- 35.8, 33.1+/- 22.7, and 50.6 +/- 47.3, respectively. The mean urinary sulfated bile acids level was correlated with the clinical progression of these liver diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary sulfated bile acids are considered to be a useful diagnostic indicator of impaired liver function, and can also be used to assess the severity of hepatic disease.

Bioactive constituents from Chinese natural medicines. XXXIII. Inhibitors from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia on production of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages.

The methanolic extract from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia was found to inhibit production of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages. Among the isolated compounds, bavachinin (IC(50)=26 microM), isobavachalcone (17 microM), neobavaisoflavone (ca. 29 microM), corylifol A (ca. 21 microM), and psoralidin (ca. 23 microM) significantly inhibited the accumulation of nitrite (NO(2)(-)) as a marker of production of NO. Bakuchiol, which is mainly contained in the extract, also showed weak activity at 10 microM, but cytotoxic effects were observed more than 30 microM.