OBJECTIVE To evaluate the antidiabetic activity of an aqueous extract of the roots of Hemidesmus indicus on blood glucose, serum electrolytes, serum marker enzymes, liver microsomal P-450 enzymes, and lipid peroxidation in the liver and kidney of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Effect of H. indicus extract on blood glucose was studied with fed, fasted and glucose-l...

Human platelets contain diglyceride kinase, an enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of diacylglycerol by adenosine 5'-triphosphate to yield phosphatidic acid. The majority of the platelet enzyme is particulate-bound, and membrane fractions of platelet homogenates have a higher specific activity than granule fractions. Both deoxycholate and magnesium are necessary for optimal enzyme activit...

Intestinal origin alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) in plasma was measured by a sensitive immunocapture assay in 104 jaundiced patients--84 with intrahepatic and 20 with post-hepatic jaundice. Increased enzyme activities were observed in those with intrahepatic disease and subnormal values in those with post-hepatic disease. At a discriminant level intestinal origin ALP showed a diagnostic se...

The disposition of digoxin and the influence of the organic anion transporting polypeptide (Oatp)2 inhibitor rifampicin and the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitor quinidine on its hepatic disposition were examined in the isolated perfused rat liver. Livers from groups of rats were perfused in a recirculatory manner after a bolus dose of digoxin (10 microg), a dual substrate for Oatp2 and P-gp as w...

The measurement of the plasma activities of glutamic-oxaloacetic and glutamic-pyruvic transaminases, aldolase, cholinesterase, and isocitric, lactic, and phosphogluconic dehydrogenases in random samples of blood was found to be of no value in the differential diagnosis of hepatitis, obstructive jaundice, hepatic cirrhosis, and neoplastic conditions involving the liver. Serial determinations of ...

UNLABELLED Genome-wide array studies have associated the patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) gene polymorphisms with hepatic steatosis. However, it is unclear whether PNPLA3 functions as a lipase or a lipogenic enzyme and whether PNPLA3 is involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic insulin resistance. To address these questions we treated high-fat-fed rats with specific antisen...

Catalase, an endogenous antioxidant enzyme, is thought to have rescue effects on hepatic fibrosis. In this study, the regulation of catalase in CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrogenesis was investigated. Our results indicated that catalase expression was decreased upon CCl₄ treatment in a time-dependent manner, while the expression of several profibrosis and proangiogenic factors, including transforming ...

The comparative development patterns of heme oxidation andof cytochrome P-450 dependent drug oxidation in rat liver were examined. High levels of heme oxygenase activity were present in whole embryo preparations at day 13 of gestation. At birth this enzyme activity in liver was approximately equal to that of normal adult liver. In the immediate postnatal period the rate of hepatic heme oxidatio...

• Vol 8 • March 2006 Postpartum Liver Rupture and HELLP Syndrome Hepatic rupture with hemoperitoneum is a rare but devastating complication of pregnancy, mostly associated with the synd drome of severe gestational hypertension hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and low platelet count, known as the HELLP syndrome. We describe a young woman with HELLP syndrome and hepatic subcapsular ruptur...

Oral administration of Liv-52 and kumaryasava to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treated rats improved growth. Kumaryasava was more effective in reducing the liver weight increase due to hepatotoxicity of CCl4. Hepatic arginase, cathepsin-B, acid phosphatase, ribonuclease activity which were decreased on CCl4 treatment was stimulated by both Liv-52 and kumaryasava. Results indicate that Liv-52 and ...