OBJECTIVETo study the hepatotoxicity mechanism of rats that induced by Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma.

METHODThe SD rats were randomly divided into the control and Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma (RRST) group, given distilled water and RRST 10 g x kg(-1) separately by orally for 7 days, and RRST 20 g x kg(-1) for other days until the 26th day. Blood was drawn from abdominal aorta after the rats were anesthetized by 25% urethane, and then centrifugally processed to get the serum for detection of ALT and AST. The liver tissues of control and experimental group were taken to prepare liver homogenate with cold NS, and centrifugally processed to get the supernatant. The activities of SOD and GSH, the content of gamma-GT and MDA were detected according to the methods of kit. The tumor necosis factor(TNF-alpha) was detected by ABC-ELISA. The expression of ICAM-1 was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTAfter the rats were given RRST by oral for 26 days, the ALT and AST activities in serum increased, the content of GSH and the ratio of SOD and MDA decreased, the content of gamma-GT and TNF-alpha, the masculine expression of ICAM-1 increased.

CONCLUSIONAfter the rats were given RRST, the liver can be damaged obviously, and the mechanism of hepatotoxicity perhaps related to free radical and inflammatory factor.

Administration, Oral ; Alanine Transaminase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Female ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Sophora ; chemistry ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; metabolism