Effect of Laggera alata on hepatocyte damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in vitro and in vivo.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Laggera alata, as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, has been widely used to ameliorate some ailments associated with inflammation including hepatitis in folk. AIM OF THE STUDY Based on anti-inflammatory activity of total phenolics from Laggera alata (TPLA), to further validate the remarkable curative effect Laggera alata in hepatitis, hepatoprotective effect of TPLA was examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS TPLA was prepared and its principle components were quantificationally analyzed. The hepatoprotective effects of TPLA were studied using a CCl(4)-induced injury model in primary cultured neonatal rat hepatocytes, and a CCl(4)-induced acute and chronic damage model in vivo. RESULTS TPLA significantly reduced cellular leakage of hepatocyte aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and improved cell viability in vitro. TPLA markedly decreased the serum AST and ALT levels of the mice, the levels of AST, ALT, total protein, albumin, and sialic acid in rat serum, and the hydroxyproline level in rat liver. Meanwhile, severe hepatic lesions induced by CCl(4) in mice/rats were remarkably improved by the administration of TPLA. CONCLUSIONS This investigation verifies the hepatoprotective effect of TPLA in vitro/in vivo and clarifies its active components dicaffeoylquinic acids responsible for hepatoprotective potential.