Hepatitis B virus infection is major cause of acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis of liver, and hepatocellular carcinoma. There are over 200 million carriers of hepatitis B virus in the world, nearly 80% of whom live in the South East
Asia,
Korea is also highly endemic area of hepatitis B virus infection. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of extracts of traditional Korean herbal medicines on hepatitis B virus. 151 traditional herbs were extracted, filtered
and
lyophilized, Using 151 herbal extracts we tested binding capability to the HBs Ag, inhibition of HBV DNA polymerase, release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and prtection against galactosamine induced liver damage.
Among 151 herbs, 16 herbs (Sanguisorba officinalis L., Terminalia chebula R., rubus coreanus. M. Rheum palmatum L. Eugenia caryophyllata T. Areca catechu L. Cornus officinalis S. Caesalpinia sappan L. Ephedra sinica S. Cynomorium
songaricum
R.
Machilus thunbergii S. Chaenomeles japonica L. Alpinia officinarum H., Lindera strychnifolia V. Crataegus pinnatifida B. Paeonia suffruticasa A.) had binding capability to HBs Ag which contained in the commercial hepatitis vaccine, at
16ug/ml
of concentration. Among the above 16 herbs. Rheum palmatum L. Terminalia chebula R. Sanguisorba officinalis L. Rubus coreanus M. significantly inhibited the HBV DNA polymerase activity, and Areca catechu L. Eugenia caryophyllata T. Ephedra
sinica
S. Caesalpinia sappan L. Chaenomeles Japonica L. Cornus officinalis S, also inibited the HBV DNA polymerase activity but less effective. All of the herbs, except Caesalpinia sappan L. which inhibited the HBV DNA polymerase activity,
actively stimulated the mononuclear cells to release tumor necrosis factor(TNF) in whole blood culture system. The herbs which inhibited the HBV DNA polymerase activity, did not show any protective effect in galactosamine-induced
hepatitis
in
rats. but there was no direct toxic effect when herbs were administered alone.
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