OBJECTIVETo study skin sensitization as well as liver and kidney impairment in guinea pigs treated with trichloroethylene (TCE).

METHODSGuinea pig maximization test (GPMT) was applied in this study, guinea pigs were divided into 3 groups, namely negative control, positive control and TCE treatment. Animals of 3 groups were administrated with olive oil, 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), and TCE, respectively, by intradermal injection. The animal skin was observed and blood was collected after various treatment, the liver function tests were conducted, including detection of activities of ALT, AST, LDH and levels of creatinine, uric acid, and urea with automatic biochemical analyzer.

RESULTSObvious skin impairment was observed in the groups of positive control and TCE treatment, the skin impairment included erythema and edema, the sensitization rate was 100% in positive control and 83.3% in TCE treatment group. Additionally, the activities of ALT, AST and LDH increased significantly in the groups of positive control and TCE treatment when compared with the negative control.

CONCLUSIONSTrichloroethylene is one of the strong hypersensitizing substances, it could induce skin allergic reaction and liver impairment in guinea pigs.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Kidney ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; Skin ; drug effects ; Trichloroethylene ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo study the toxicity of water extracts from the fruits of Evodia Fructus in different producing areas.

METHODCompare the toxicity of the extracts from different Evodia Fructus on mice by the methods of acute and subacute toxicity test. The mice were given the extracts for 1 d to test the maximal tolerance dose (MTD) or maximal dose and observe the acute toxic symptoms; The mice were given the extracts for 15 d and then detected the level of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and triglyceride (TG). The liver index was calculated, and the liver histological changes were investigated.

RESULTThe MTD of water extracts from the fruits of Evodia Fructus is 62, 44.8, 35.84 g x kg(-1); the MTD of Evodia Fructus is 56, 44. 8, 35.84 g x kg(-1); the maximal dose of Evodia Fructus is 60, 54, 45 g x kg(-1). The toxic symptoms of the mice which had been given the nine samples were almost consistent. Compared with the control group in subacute toxicity test, the level of serum ALT and the liver index were all increased. The liver histological were changed.

CONCLUSIONWhen water extracts from the fruits of Evodia Fructus are given to mice one or more times. It may be toxic and induce liver damage. There is no significant correlation between the toxicity and Evodia orgins, while the toxicity seems to be more closely related to the producing area.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Evodia ; chemistry ; Female ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVEThe beneficial effects of silymarin have been extensively studied in the context of inflammation and cancer treatment, yet much less is known about its therapeutic effect on diabetes. The present study was aimed to investigate the cytoprotective activity of silymarin against diabetes-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

METHODSRats were randomly divided into: control group, untreated diabetes group and diabetes group treated with silymarin (120 mg/kg•d) for 10 d. Rats were sacrificed, and the cardiac muscle specimens and blood samples were collected. The immunoreactivity of caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in the cardiomyocytes was measured. Total proteins, glucose, insulin, creatinine, AST, ALT, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels were estimated.

RESULTSUnlike the treated diabetes group, cardiomyocyte apoptosis increased in the untreated rats, as evidenced by enhanced caspase-3 and declined Bcl-2 activities. The levels of glucose, creatinine, AST, ALT, cholesterol, and triglycerides declined in the treated rats. The declined levels of insulin were enhanced again after treatment of diabetic rats with silymarin, reflecting a restoration of the pancreatic β-cells activity.

CONCLUSIONThe findings of this study are of great importance, which confirmed for the first time that treatment of diabetic subjects with silymarin may protect cardiomyocytes against apoptosis and promote survival-restoration of the pancreatic β-cells.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Blood Glucose ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Creatinine ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; prevention & control ; Heart ; drug effects ; Immunohistochemistry ; Insulin ; blood ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; Rats ; Silymarin ; pharmacology ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effects of AduoLa Fuzhenglin(ADL) on the heart injury induced by microwave exposure in rats.

METHODSOne hundred forty male Wistar rats were divided randomly into 5 groups: control, microwave radiation, 0.75 g x kg(-1) d(-1) ADL, 1.50 g x kg(-1) d(-1) ADL and 3.00 g x kg(-1) d(-1) ADL pretreatment groups. Rats in three ADL pretreatment groups were administrated by ADL per day for 2w then exposed to 30 mW/cm2 microwaves for 15 min. The left ventricle blood of rats was obtained at 7 d and 14 d after exposure to microwaves, and the blood Ca2+, AST and CK were detected with Coulter automatic biochemical analyzer, then the histological changes and ultrastructure of heart were observed under light and electron microscopes.

RESULTSAt 7 d and 14 d after exposure to microwaves, the blood Ca2+, AST and CK concentrations significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01) as compared with controls; Heart muscle fibers showed wavilness, endotheliocyte karyopyknosis, anachromasis; The mitochondria swelling and cavitation, intercalary dies blurred in radiation groups. The changes in 0.75 g x kg(-1) d(-1) ADL pretreatment group were similar to the radiation group, but in 1.50 g x kg(-1)d(-1) and 3.00 g x kg(-1) d(-1) ADL pretreatment groups, above indexes of rats significantly reduced as compared with microwaves group (P<0.05); also the blood Ca2+, AST, CK contents were significantly lower than those in microwave group (P<0.05); The heart showed a tendency to improve.

CONCLUSIONMicrowave radiation (30 mW/cm2) can cause the blood Ca2+, AST and CK turbulence, and heart injury in the histology and ultrastructure; ADL at the dosages of 1.50 g x kg(-1) d(-1) and 3.00 g x kg(-1) d(-1) has a protective effects on the heart injury induced by microwave in rats.

Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Calcium ; blood ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Heart ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Male ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Mitochondria, Heart ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Amoxicillin, an antibiotic that is widely prescribed for various infections, is associated with a very low rate of drug-induced liver injury; hepatitis and cholestasis are rare complications. Here we present a case of a 39-year-old woman who was diagnosed with abdominal actinomycosis and received amoxicillin treatment. The patient displayed hepatocellular and bile-duct injury, in addition to elevated levels of liver enzymes. The patient was diagnosed with amoxicillin-induced cholestatic hepatitis. When amoxicillin was discontinued, the patient's symptoms improved and her liver enzyme levels reduced to near to the normal range.
Actinomycosis/drug therapy ; Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Alkaline Phosphatase/blood ; Amoxicillin/*adverse effects ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*adverse effects ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Cholestasis/*chemically induced ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury/*diagnosis/etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver/enzymology

OBJECTIVETo observe the central nervous system symptoms and alterations in the blood indicators in rats within a short term after benzene poisoning.

METHODTwenty-four female SD rats were randomized into 4 equal groups to receive intraperitoneal injection of low-, medium- or high-dose benzene (39.05, 78.11, and 234.33 mg/kg, respectively) or peanut oil. Blood samples were taken from the rats via the femoral artery 24 h after the injections for routine blood test and liver and kidney function test.

RESULTSIntraperitoneal injection of benzene at a high dose, but not at a low or medium dose, caused obvious symptoms in the central nervous system. Benzene either at a low or medium dose did not produce obvious changes in routine blood test or liver and kidney function test as compared with the control group, but a high dose resulted in significant changes in WBC, PLT, ALT and AST (P<0.05). Abnormalities in the renal function were found in none of the groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONExposure to high-dose benzene can result in abnormalities in the central nervous system, routine blood indicators and liver function, but does not obviously affect the kidney function in rats.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Benzene ; toxicity ; Blood Cell Count ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; chemically induced ; Female ; Kidney ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study on the time-toxicity and dose-toxicity relationships caused by multiple dose water extraction components of Evodia Fructus to mice.

METHODMice were grouped according to different time or dose points, to observe the death condition and toxicity of mice. The changes of the activity of ALT, AST and liver, kidney index were detected, and the morphological changes of liver tissue were observed under light microscope.

RESULTOn the first day after administration the hepatotoxicity which displayed with obvious increase of ALT, AST activity in serum and liver tissue and hepatic injury appeared. On the third day the hepatotoxicity kept a higher level that the active units in serum ALT, AST were significantly higher than the normal group. On the 7th day after administration ALT, AST level in serum are restored near normality. Compared with the normal group, within 7 days after the administration, water extracted components in 0.63-5.0 g x kg(-1) dose scope could cause significant damage to liver, the activity of ALT, AST, AKP, TBI elevated, while ALB reduced, and liver ratio increased, and under light microscope, the different doses' liver tissue of mice all had different degree's edema, fatty degeneration in liver cells and interstitial congestion. There were certain time-toxicity and dose-toxicity relationships. The above-mentioned change gradually aggravated with dose increasing, and it was the obvious discrepancy compared with distilled water control group.

CONCLUSIONMultiple intragastric administrations of water extracted components of Evodia Fructus with certain dosage may induce acute hepatotoxical injury in mice and show certain "dosage-time-toxicity" relationship.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Evodia ; chemistry ; Female ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Kidney ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mice

With the aim of establishing bio-indices for the development of multistep hepatotumorigenesis, rats were fed water containing 0.01% diethylnitrosamine (DEN) ad libitum for 13 weeks. This treatment with DEN only made it possible to induce hepatic tumors in 100%. After the DEN administration, several clinical symptoms were observed including minor behavioral changes, brittleness of hair and a decrease in water and food intake. The concentration of total serum protein and albumin in all treated groups was significantly lower than in non-treated controls (p<0.05). Increase of specific enzyme (AST, ALT and GGT) activity (p<0.05), variable tumor size and hepatomegaly of the liver was observed in all rats treated with DEN for 10 weeks. Both hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma were found in the same livers at the same time, and were prominently developed after 12 weeks. In case of carcinoma, some of the livers showed more or less advanced states over the 12-15 weeks period. In the present study, hepatocellular carcinoma was developed by treating DEN in only the drinking water, without any other carcinogens or without partial hepatectomy. These results indicate that DEN is a new carcinogen that acts directly on it the liver, moreover, it might be very useful for investigating hepatotumorigenesis.
Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Biological Markers/blood ; Carcinogens ; *Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Diethylnitrosamine/toxicity ; Liver/drug effects/*pathology ; Liver Neoplasms/blood/chemically induced/*pathology ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental/blood/*pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase/blood

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an increasingly common cause of acute hepatitis. We examined clinical features and types of liver injury of 65 affected patients who underwent liver biopsy according DILI etiology. The major causes of DILI were the use of herbal medications (43.2%), prescribed medications (21.6%), and traditional therapeutic preparations and dietary supplements (35%). DILI from herbal medications, traditional therapeutic preparations, and dietary supplements was associated with higher elevations in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels than was DILI from prescription medications. The types of liver injury based on the R ratio were hepatocellular (67.7%), mixed (10.8%), and cholestatic (21.5%). Herbal medications and traditional therapeutic preparations were more commonly associated with hepatocellular liver injury than were prescription medications (P = 0.002). Herbal medications and traditional therapeutic preparations induce more hepatocellular DILI and increased elevations in AST and ALT than prescribed medications.
Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Dietary Supplements/adverse effects ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury/enzymology/*etiology/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy/adverse effects ; Plant Preparations/adverse effects ; Prescription Drugs/adverse effects ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Functional and anatomical abnormalities of mitochondria play an important role in developing steatohepatitis. Carnitine is essential for enhanced mitochondrial beta oxidation through the transfer of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria. We examined the impact of carnitine complex on liver function and peripheral blood mitochondria copy number in NAFLD patients. METHODS: Forty-five NAFLD patients were enrolled. Patients were categorized into the carnitine complex-administered group and control group. Before and 3 months after drug administration, a liver function test and peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA and 8-oxo-dG quantitive analysis were conducted. RESULTS: In carnitine treatment group, ALT, AST, and total bilirubin were reduced after medication. There was no difference in AST, ALT, and total bilirubin between before and after treatment in control group. In carnitine group, peripheral mitochondrial DNA copy number was significantly increased from 158.8+/-69.5 copy to 241.6+/-180.6 copy (p=0.025). While in control group the mitochondrial copy number was slightly reduced from 205.5+/-142.3 to 150.0+/-109.7. 8-oxo-dG level was also tended to decrease in carnitine group (p=0.23) and tended to increase in control group (p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: In NAFLD, the carnitine improved liver profile and peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA copy number. This results suggest that carnitine activate the mitochondria, thereby contributing to the improvement of NAFLD.
Adult ; Aged ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Bilirubin/blood ; Carnitine/*therapeutic use ; DNA Copy Number Variations/*drug effects ; DNA, Mitochondrial/*blood ; Deoxyguanosine/analogs &derivatives/analysis ; Fatty Liver/diagnosis/*drug therapy/genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged