Syngeneic implantation of mouse hepatic progenitor cell-derived three-dimensional liver tissue with dense collagen fibrils.

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation is a therapy for irreversible liver failure; however, at present, donor organs are in short supply. Cell transplantation therapy for liver failure is still at the developmental stage and is critically limited by a shortage of human primary hepatocytes. AIM: To investigate the possibility that hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) prepared from the portal branch-ligated hepatic lobe may be used in regenerative medicine, we attempted to enable the implantation of extracellular matrices containing organoids consisting of HPC-derived hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells. METHODS: In vitro liver organoid tissue has been generated by accumulating collagen fibrils, fibroblasts, and HPCs on a mesh of polylactic acid fabric using a bioreactor; this was subsequently implanted into syngeneic wild-type mice. RESULTS: The in vitro liver organoid tissues generated transplantable tissues in the condensed collagen fibril matrix and were obtained from the mouse through partial hepatectomy. CONCLUSION: Liver organoid tissue was produced from expanded HPCs using an originally designed bioreactor system. This tissue was comparable to liver lobules, and with fibroblasts embedded in the network collagen fibrils of this artificial tissue, it is useful for reconstructing the hepatic interstitial structure.

Acorbine, a Corbicula japonica-derived tripeptide containing non-proteinogenic amino acids, suppresses ethanol-induced liver injury.

Since ancient times, Corbicula extract has been believed in Japan to have hepatoprotective effects, but it remains unclear whether these claims are true, and if so, which component is responsible for hepatoprotection. In this study, we showed that Corbicula extract exerted a protective effect against liver damage. Recent work identified acorbine (ß-alanyl-ornithyl-ornithine), a novel tripeptide containing non-proteinogenic amino acids, in the extract of Corbicula japonica. Synthesized acorbine cured alcohol-induced liver damage in mice. In addition, acorbine purified from Corbicula extract exerted a protective effect against alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity in a culture liver model derived from mouse ES/iPS cells. Thus, acorbine is one of the components of Corbicula extract that protects hepatocytes against ethanol-induced death.

Environmentally Friendly Measurement of Airborne Radon Using a Nonvolatile Liquid Scintillation Absorbent.

The practicality of using a liquid scintillation method with a nonvolatile liquid scintillation absorbent for the measurement of airborne Rn (radon) in a residence was examined. The relationship between the radioactivity absorbed by the liquid scintillation absorbent and the radon concentration in the air was investigated in a calibrated walk-in radon chamber. The equivalent radioactivity of radon was calculated for Po radioactivity immediately after radioactive equilibrium was attained using successive decay equations via alpha-particle spectrometry based on the 1 h, indirect, selective measurement of the Po alpha-particle spectrum generated after sampling radon. We confirmed that the amounts of radon absorbed in the liquid scintillation absorbent were proportional to the radon concentration in the air. The calibration curve that exhibited reliable quantitative linearity from 500 to 8,000 Bq m in air was extrapolated to the region between 0 and 500 Bq m using the least-squares method with data from 500 to 8,000 Bq m. The validity of the extrapolated curve at less than 500 Bq m was confirmed by comparison of the measured radon concentrations in the room and atmosphere with those determined using an existing ionization chamber. Variations in the absorption of radon were observed due to changes in temperature and humidity. The health and environmental safety of nonvolatile liquid scintillation absorbent was also considered.

Quality Characterization of Japanese Medicinal Paeoniae Radix by Metallomic Analysis.

Paeoniae Radix is one of the crude drugs frequently used in traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo medicine). It takes abundant labor and time to cultivate Paeonia lactiflora for medicinal use; high production cost is one of the main reasons why the domestic production of Paeoniae Radix is decreasing in Japan. To promote the production of Paeoniae Radix, we focused on Paeonia cultivars that produce commercially valuable flowers and investigated their possibility for medicinal use. We prepared 28 batches of peony roots derived from P. lactiflora, which were cultivated in Japan; 4 batches were crude drug samples, and 24 batches were cultivar roots. The elements contained in these samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-MS. The obtained data were then analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and back propagation artificial neural network (BPANN) analysis. No significant differences were found between the profiles of elements contained in crude drugs and cultivar roots. However, PCA results indicated a high similarity of the multielement fingerprints of crude drugs. Using the PCA results, we also assessed visible cluster trends and found that 5 batches of cultivars also showed fingerprints related to those of crude drugs. We certified this classification by BPANN. From the perspective of metallomics, our findings suggest that these 5 batches of Paeonia cultivars could be alternatives to crude drugs.

Curcumin and its derivatives inhibit 2,3,7,8,-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin-induced expression of drug metabolizing enzymes through aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated pathway.

Certain dioxins, including 2,3,7,8,-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), are exogenous ligands for an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and induces various drug-metabolizing enzymes. In this study, we examined the effect of curcumin on expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes through the AhR and NF-E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathways. Curcumin dose-dependently inhibited TCDD-induced expression of phase I enzyme cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and phase II enzymes NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) but not tert-butyl hydroquinone-induced NQO1 and HO-1, suggesting that curcumin inhibited only AhR pathway, but not Nrf2 one directly. Furthermore, we used 14 curcumin derivatives and obtained the correlation between hydrophobicity of the compounds and suppressive effect against AhR transformation. Results from the quantitative structure active correlative analysis indicated that methoxy groups and ß-diketone structure possessing keto-enol tautomerism in curcumin were necessary to inhibit AhR transformation, and the addition of methyl and methoxy group(s) to the curcumin increased the inhibition effect.

Effects of Normothermic Conditioned Microwave Irradiation on Cultured Cells Using an Irradiation System with Semiconductor Oscillator and Thermo-regulatory Applicator.

We investigated the effects of microwave irradiation under normothermic conditions on cultured cells. For this study, we developed an irradiation system constituted with semiconductor microwave oscillator (2.45 GHz) and thermos-regulatory applicator, which could irradiate microwaves at varied output powers to maintain the temperature of cultured cells at 37 °C. Seven out of eight types of cultured cells were killed by microwave irradiation, where four were not affected by thermal treatment at 42.5 °C. Since the dielectric properties such as ε', ε" and tanδ showed similar values at 2.45 GHz among cell types and media, the degree of microwave energy absorbed by cells might be almost the same among cell types. Thus, the vulnerability of cells to microwave irradiation might be different among cell types. In HL-60 cells, which were the most sensitive to microwave irradiation, the viability decreased as irradiation time and irradiation output increased; accordingly, the decrease in viability was correlated to an increase in total joule. However, when a high or low amount of joules per minute was supplied, the correlation between cellular viability and total joules became relatively weak. It is hypothesized that kinds of cancer cells are efficiently killed by respective specific output of microwave under normothermic cellular conditions.

Substitution at the C-3 Position of Catechins Has an Influence on the Binding Affinities against Serum Albumin.

It is known that catechins interact with the tryptophan (Trp) residue at the drug-binding site of serum albumin. In this study, we used catechin derivatives to investigate which position of the catechin structure strongly influences the binding affinity against bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA). A docking simulation showed that (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) interacted with both Trp residues of BSA (one at drug-binding site I and the other on the molecular surface), mainly by π-π stacking. Fluorescence analysis showed that EGCg and substituted EGCg caused a red shift of the peak wavelength of Trp similarly to warfarin (a drug-binding site I-specific compound), while 3-O-acyl-catechins caused a blue shift. To evaluate the binding affinities, the quenching constants were determined by the Stern-Volmer equation. A gallate ester at the C-3 position increased the quenching constants of the catechins. Against BSA, acyl substitution increased the quenching constant proportionally to the carbon chain lengths of the acyl group, whereas methyl substitution decreased the quenching constant. Against HSA, neither acyl nor methyl substitution affected the quenching constant. In conclusion, substitution at the C-3 position of catechins has an important influence on the binding affinity against serum albumin.

Longgu (Fossilia Ossis Mastodi) alters the profiles of organic and inorganic components in Keishikaryukotsuboreito.

Longgu (Fossilia Ossis Mastodi) is a non-botanical crude drug, defined as "the ossified bone of large mammal" in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia sixteenth edition (JP16). It is a non-reproducible drug and is now facing the threat of exhaustion. To solve this problem, we aimed to clarify the role of longgu in Kampo prescriptions, which has not yet been scientifically ascertained. In this study, we focused on decoction of Keishikaryukotsuboreito (KRB). The profile of inorganic and organic components in the extract was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and gas chromatography flame ionization detection (GC/FID), respectively. Twenty-five elements were detected by ICP-MS in KRB and longgu-free KRB (KB) decoctions. However, 23 elements were detected in unadultrated longgu (R) decoctions, and their total amount was 30 times lower than those of the KRB and KB decoctions were. No organic compounds were detected in R decoctions by GC/FID, though many were detected in KRB and KB decoctions. KRB decoctions were distinguished from KB decoctions by multivariate analysis. The only difference in the crude drugs was the presence of longgu, and therefore the difference in the profiles was attributed to the effect of longgu. Longgu was submitted to terahertz (THz) wave spectrometry after the decocting process. The THz spectra indicated that longgu adsorbed compounds during the KRB decoction. These results suggested that longgu not only releases its components, but also adsorbs ingredients from other crude drugs during decoction.

Establishment of a methodology for identifying Paeoniae Radix based on metallomic analysis.

We aimed to establish a methodology for identifying Paeonia samples based on metallomic analysis. We prepared 66 batches of samples (16 batches of crude drugs and 50 batches of cultivars, comprising 64 batches of Paeonia lactiflora and 2 batches of P. veitchii) collected from Japan and China (Inner Mongolia and elsewhere) between 1996 and 2008. P. lactiflora samples were genetically classified into white peony root (WPR) type and red peony root (RPR) type. Up to 47 elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and RPR type crude drug samples contained up to five times as much calcium as the others. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the multi-element fingerprints obtained suggested that P. veitchii, which grows wild, were distinguishable from the other cultivated P. lactiflora samples. This was confirmed perfectly by soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA). The PCA of the fingerprints of P. lactiflora crude drug samples also suggested that it was possible to classify them by production area (Japan, Inner Mongolia, and China excluding Inner Mongolia) and genetic type (RPR and WPR types). They were also classified 100 % to the predicted class by SIMCA in both cases. These analyses were successful among the samples whose collection dates varied. This simple metallomic method is an efficient approach for verifying the complex origin of Paeoniae Radix.

A role for calcium hydroxide and dolomite in water: acceleration of the reaction under ultraviolet light.

Organic environmental pollutants are now being detected with remarkably high frequency in the aquatic environment. Photodegradation by ultraviolet light is sometimes used as a method for removing organic chemicals from water; however, this method is relatively inefficient because of the low degradation rates involved, and more efficient methods are under development. Here we show that the removal of various organic pollutants can be assisted by calcined dolomite in aqueous solution under irradiation with ultraviolet light. It was possible to achieve substantial removal of bisphenol A, chlorophenols, alkylphenols, 1-naphthol and 17ß-estradiol. The major component of dolomite responsible for the removal was calcium hydroxide. Our results demonstrate that the use of calcium hydroxide with ultraviolet light irradiation can be a very effective method of rapidly removing organic environmental pollutants from water. This is a new role for calcium hydroxide and dolomite in water treatment.

Taurine as a marker for the identification of natural Calculus Bovis and its substitutes.

Calculus Bovis (C. Bovis) is a commonly used animal-derived therapeutic preparation. To meet the increasing clinical demand for the preparation, two artificial substitutes for Bos Taurus have been introduced in China: artificial C. Bovis and in vitro cultured C. Bovis. However, information on their efficacy and safety is inadequate. Therefore, we investigated the biological differences between the commonly used natural preparation and its two substitutes, with the aim of not only identifying the differences but also providing a procedure to distinguish between the different preparations.In the study, we prepared 9 natural C. Bovis, 2 artificial C. Bovis, and 2 in vitro cultured C. Bovis preparations for evaluation. Differences were noted between the three preparations relative to their effect on viability of cardiac fibroblasts from 1-day-old Wistar rats. Although natural C. Bovis had no effect on cell viability, 1-h treatment of the cells with 0.25 mg/ml of the substitutes significantly reduced cell viability, as detected by the MTS assay. Based on liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, the preparations also differed in composition. Indeed, the substitutes contained more taurine, cholic acid, iron, magnesium, and calcium than the natural preparations. They also differed spectroscopically.The present results reveal significant biological differences between natural C. Bovis and two of its substitutes. Since the substitutes appear to contain more taurine, cholic acid, and elements, these constituents may serve as markers to distinguish between natural C. Bovis and its substitutes.

Application of hydrotropy to transdermal formulations: hydrotropic solubilization of polyol fatty acid monoesters in water and enhancement effect on skin permeation of 5-FU.

OBJECTIVES: A hydrotropic formulation containing a percutaneous enhancer was developed for the transdermal formulation of a water-soluble drug and the solubilizing mechanisms of a percutaneous enhancer in water by a hydrotropic agent were investigated. The enhancement effect was also compared with the hydrotropic formulation and the other formulations using ethanol, propylene glycol or mixed micelles. METHODS: Sodium salicylate (SA) and sodium benzoate (BA) were selected as hydrotropic agents, and polyol fatty acid ester (POFE) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were selected as a percutaneous enhancer and a water-soluble drug, respectively. Near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometric and ¹H NMR spectroscopic studies were carried out to investigate the solubilizing mechanisms. The mean particle size in the hydrotropic formulation was measured. The in-vitro skin permeation of 5-FU and the accumulation in the skin of propylene glycol monocaprylate (PGMC), one of the monoesters of POFE, from the hydrotropic formulation or the other formulations were investigated by using Franz-type diffusion cell. KEY FINDINGS: The presence of SA and BA had a visible effect on the O-H stretching band of water in the NIR region. The surface tension of SA and BA aqueous solutions was found to decrease with an increase in SA or BA concentration. Although SA interacted with PGMC in the presence of water, it did not interact with PGMC in the absence of water. Mean particle size in a solution consisting of 5% (v/v) PGMC and 30% SA aqueous solution was approximately 14 nm. ¹H NMR spectroscopic studies indicated that the hydrotropic salts formed aggregates with which PGMC interacted from the outside. The hydrotropic formulation prepared in this study enhanced skin permeation of 5-FU when compared with the other formulations. CONCLUSIONS: SA and BA solubilized monoesters of POFE in water, and SA interacted with PGMC in water. The hydrotropic formulation prepared in this study significantly enhanced skin permeation of 5-FU compared with the other formulations. The results suggest that a hydrotropic formulation containing PGMC may be a useful transdermal formulation for water-soluble drugs.

Application of terahertz absorption spectroscopy to evaluation of aging variation of medicine.

The absorption spectra of three kinds of medicines both before and after the expiration date: Amlodin OD(®) (5 mg), Basen OD(®) (0.2 mg) and Gaster D(®) (10 mg) have been measured by terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). All the medicines show some differences in the THz absorption spectra between medicines before and after the expiration dates. X-Ray powder diffraction (XRD) studies of all medicines suggest that the polymorph of the main effective compound is not changed before and after the expiration date. Therefore, the differences in the THz spectra between medicines before and after the expiration dates arise from aging variation of diluting agents and/or from modifications of intermolecular interaction between the effective compounds and diluting agents.

Demonstration and partial characterization of a bacterial growth enhancer in sera.

During our research into the pathogenesis of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, we noticed that the concentration of serum added to the tissue culture medium (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium: DMEM) greatly affected its growth. Using gel filtration column chromatography, we clearly demonstrated that serum contains not only a bacterial growth inhibitor (BGI) but also a bacterial growth enhancer (BGE) for Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Our data indicate that the BGI is transferrin, whereas the BGE seems to be an undescribed small molecule (molecular weight of 1,000-3,000 Da) and is associated with magnesium and molybdenum ions. BGE activity was not decreased by heat treatment (at 60 or 100°C for 30 min) and affected the growth rate of a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The addition of EDTA into DMEM lowered the growth rate, whereas the addition of BGE restored the growth activity. This study suggests that sera contain a previously undescribed small BGE molecule.

Quality and safety issues related to traditional animal medicine: role of taurine.

BACKGROUND: Calculus Bovis (:C.Bovis) is one of the most precious and commonly-used medicinal materials in Japan and China. As the natural occurrence is very rare, a source of supply for C. Bovis is far behind the actual need and great efforts have been taken for some substitutes of natural C. Bovis. Unfortunately, very little information is available on the quality and/or clinical efficacy of medication based on C. Bovis. To ensure sustainable use of traditional therapeutic agents derived from C. Bovis, we felt that several issues needed to be addressed: 1) the source of the C. Bovis materials and quality control; 2) the role of taurine in the efficacy of C. Bovis. METHODS: Nine samples of natural C. Bovis and its substitutes were collected. ICP-MS was used for elemental analysis and the characterization was performed by principal component analysis (PCA) and soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) as multivariate approaches. The efficacy of C. Bovis was evaluated for morphology, viability and beating pattern on cultured cardiac myocytes and/or fibroblasts. RESULTS: PCA and multi-elemental focus was effective in discriminating C. Bovis samples derived from different habitats. A satisfactory classification using SIMCA was obtained among Australia C. Bovis, other habitats and the substitutes. Australian samples had better batch uniformity than other habitats and were composed of fewer elements. We have used Australian C. Bovis for assessment on its bioactive compounds. Rat cardiac cells incubated with C. Bovis extract (0.01-0.1 mg/ml) maintained normal morphology, viability and beating pattern. Cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts treated for 48 h with CA (0.5 mM) or DCA (0.1 mM) caused cell injury, as reflected by changes in appearance and a reduction of viability detected by the MTS assay. In cardiomyocytes, 0.5 h exposure of CA (0.5 mM) markedly decreased the velocity ratio of beating, whereas the simultaneous addition of 1 mM taurine largely prevented the decrease. CONCLUSIONS: The multi-elemental focus provided some references for the quality control and the efficacy of C. Bovis. Taurine partly attenuated the harmful actions of bile acids. It is plausible that the relationship between taurine and the bile acids contributes to therapeutic effect of C. Bovis.

The relation between clinical effects of Tokishakuyakusan and the identity of Paeonia lactiflora materials.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the relation between the clinical effects and the quality of crude drugs, we focused on Tokishakuyakusan (TS), consisted of 6 crude drugs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prepared two kinds of TS containing either medicinal cultivar of Paeonia lactiflora (MTS) or ornamental one (OTS). Other components were the same. First, we assessed the clinical effects of two TS formulations by cross-over study among the anemia patients. Second, we investigated the chemical differences between them by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Mössbauer analysis. RESULTS: The clinical effects of these formulations (3 g/day for 8 weeks) were tested in the cross-over study consisted of 12 women patients who were diagnosed as having anemia (Hb ≤ 11 g/dl) and consented to participate to this study. Both TS formulations were effective for anemia symptoms as shown by the improvement of several hematological parameters, whereas their comprehensive effects were distinguishable by Genetic Algorithm Partial Least Squares (GA-PLS) analysis. There were no significant differences in organic ingredients and Fe content measured by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and ICP-MS, respectively. Interestingly, Mössbauer spectra of Fe ion were remarkably different between two formulations. Fe ion in MTS was only one form, but that in OTS was at least two forms. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that clinical effects of TS formulation reflect the quality of Paeoniae Radix.

Hepatoprotective effect of syringic acid and vanillic acid on CCl4-induced liver injury.

The mycelia of the edible mushroom Lentinula edodes can be cultured in solid medium containing lignin, and the hot-water extracts (L.E.M.) is commercially available as a nutritional supplement. During the cultivation, phenolic compounds, such as syringic acid and vanillic acid, were produced by lignin-degrading peroxidase secreted from L. edodes mycelia. Since these compounds have radical scavenging activity, we examined their protective effect on oxidative stress in mice with CCl(4)-induced liver injury. We examined the hepatoprotective effect of syringic acid and vanillic acid on CCl(4)-induced chronic liver injury in mice. The injection of CCl(4) into the peritoneal cavity caused an increase in the serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The intravenous administration of syringic acid and vanillic acid significantly decreased the levels of the transaminases. Four weeks of CCl(4) treatment caused a sufficiently excessive deposition of collagen fibrils. An examination of Azan-stained liver sections revealed that syringic acid and vanillic acid obviously suppressed collagen accumulation and significantly decreased the hepatic hydroxyproline content, which is the quantitative marker of fibrosis. Both of these compounds inhibited the activation of cultured hepatic stellate cells, which play a central role in liver fibrogenesis, and maintained hepatocyte viability. These data suggest that the administration of syringic acid and vanillic acid could suppress hepatic fibrosis in chronic liver injury.

[Development of novel culture system for regulation of hepatocyte function].

Cultured hepatocytes are expected to be used for drug screening and bioartificial liver. Since hepatocytes lose their functions very rapidly in vitro, many attempts have been made to maintain their viability and functions. First, we want to introduce the surface modification of culture substrate using a starburst dendrimer. Addition of fructose to the terminal of the dendrimer was shown to be effective in maintaining hepatocyte function. As the second topic, we will show results of the use of a three-dimensional carrier for hepatocyte cultivation. Hepatocytes and bone marrow stromal cells were cocultured in silane beads, and packed into a radial flow-type bioreactor. The perfusion culture showed the effectiveness of bone marrow stromal cells for the maintenance of hepatocyte function. The next topic will be the trial of adenoviral gene transfer into hepatocytes. Thioredoxin gene was chosen because the products play important roles in redox control and antiapoptosis. The introduction of the gene could inhibit apoptosis and maintain the hepatocyte viability. Finally, we want to introduce the results on differentiation of stem cells into hepatocytes, because it is very difficult to obtain sufficient number of human hepatocytes. Human mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in the presence of several protein factors and the hepatocyte-specific marker was expressed after 2 weeks of induction culture. The use of human stem cells could be an important strategy for the support of a drug development system.

Terahertz absorption spectra of original and generic ceftazidime.

The absorption spectra of ceftazidime and its generic versions (Modacin, Mosyl, and Mobenzocin) have been measured by terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). Differences in the THz absorption were observed between the original and generic versions. The results show small, but significant differences in the states of ceftazidime hydrate between the original and generic versions. THz-TDS can be used to evaluate the stability of medicines as well as to control their quality.

Hepatoprotective effect of syringic acid and vanillic acid on concanavalin a-induced liver injury.

The edible mushroom Lentinula edodes (shiitake) contains many bioactive compounds. In the present study, we cultivated L. edodes mycelia in solid medium and examined the hot-water extract (L.E.M.) for its suppressive effect on concanavalin A (ConA)-induced liver injury in mice. ConA injection into the tail vein caused a great increase in the serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The intraperitoneal administration of L.E.M. significantly decreased the levels of the transaminases. L.E.M. contains many bioactive substances, including polysaccharides and glucan, which could be immunomodulators. Since ConA-induced liver injury is caused by the activation of T cells, immunomodulating substances might be responsible for the suppressive effect of L.E.M. L.E.M. also contains phenolic compounds that are produced from lignocellulose by mycelia-derived enzymes. The major phenolics in L.E.M., syringic acid and vanillic acid, were intraperitoneally injected into mice shortly before the ConA treatment. Similar to L.E.M., the administration of syringic acid or vanillic acid significantly decreased the transaminase activity and suppressed the disorganization of the hepatic sinusoids. In addition, the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and interleukin (IL)-6 in the serum increased rapidly, within 3 h of the ConA administration, but the administration of syringic acid or vanillic acid significantly suppressed the cytokine levels. Together, these findings indicate that the phenolic compounds in L.E.M. are hepatoprotective through their suppression of immune-mediated liver inflammation.