Chunggan extract (CGX), a traditional Korean herbal medicine, exerts hepatoprotective effects in a rat model of chronic alcohol consumption.

Chunggan extract, CGX, is a modification of a traditional herbal medicine that has been used for patients suffering from various liver disorders since 2001. Here, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of CGX and its underlying mechanisms in a rat model of chronic alcohol consumption. Rats were orally administered 30% ethanol solution for 4 weeks with or without CGX (50, 100, 200 mg/kg). The histopathology, biochemistry, oxidative stress/antioxidant biomarkers, hepatofibrogenic cytokines, and serum endotoxin level were analyzed. Alcohol treatment markedly elevated the serum levels of aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and total reactive oxygen species, and tissue levels of hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde (MDA), while reducing the total glutathione (GSH) contents and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase. These alterations were significantly attenuated by CGX treatment (mainly 100 and 200 mg/kg). CGX treatment normalized the elevation of fibrogenic cytokines, including transforming growth factor-ß, platelet derived growth factor-ß, and connective tissue growth factor in hepatic tissues and ameliorated the increase in serum endotoxin concentration. These results suggest that CGX protects liver tissue from alcohol injury through antioxidant actions and prevention of endotoxin reflux. .

The antiemetic effect of a novel tropisetron patch in anticancer agents-induced kaolin pica model using rats.

The efficacy of a novel transdermal patch containing tropisetron, a 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT(3)) receptor antagonist, against emesis induced by anticancer agents were evaluated, in comparison with the effect of traditional tropisetron injection, in rats. The antiemetic effects were assessed via the inhibitory activity on the anticancer agent-induced kaolin-consuming behavior, a pica model representing vomiting in emesis-resistant rodents. The tropisetron patch (10mg/patch, 3.5cm(2)) was attached on the shaved back area of rats. Eight h later, each anticancer agent, cisplatin (10mg/kg, i.v.), cyclophosphamide (200mg/kg, i.p.) or doxorubicin (8mg/kg, i.v.), was administered, and thereafter, daily kaolin consumption was measured for 3 days. In comparison, the effect of daily injection of tropisetron (2mg/kg, i.v.), given 10min, 24 and 48h after the anticancer agent administration, was also evaluated. Kaolin intake greatly increased to 21, 17 and 10 folds of control ingestion on the first day after administration with the anticancer agents, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin, respectively, and then gradually decreased to near control level on day 3. Such anticancer agent-induced increases in the kaolin consumption were remarkably attenuated by the attachment of tropisetron patch, resulting in the reduction to half levels, which is comparable to the efficacy of daily tropisetron injection. In particular, the blood concentration of tropisetron following patch attachment reached a maximum level of 30-40ng/ml in 12h and exhibited a plateau until detachment of the patch, in contrast to a rapid elimination with a half-life of 2.21h after injection of the drug. Taken together, it is suggested that the novel tropisetron patch could be a promising regimen for the relief of emesis, based on the long-term antiemetic effects on the diverse anticancer agents and the convenience to use the transdermal delivery system for the cancer patients who have difficulty in taking drugs due to surgical operation or gastrointestinal dysfunction.