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In present study, we examined whether or not the pretreatment of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) could protect hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) and D- galatosamine (GalN). For this study, we not only tested activity of various plasma enzymes (AST, ALT, SDH, LDH), which are used as indicators of liver disease, but also checked the change of liver components such as lipid, glutathione and cytochromes content, and several liver enzyme activity. Pretreatment of KRG for two weeks significantly reduced the elevated plasma enzyme activities induced by CCl₄ and GalN. Pretreatment of KRG also restored the hepatic enzymes, malonedialdehyde formation, and depletion of reduced glutathione content induced by CCl₄ and GalN to near normal level. However, γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity was lot affected by KRG. These results suggest that KRG shows the hepatoprotective effect by reducing lipid peroxidation, by reducing the activity of free radical generating enzymes, and by preserving the hepatic glutathione.
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