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KMID : 1101220030350020119
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2003 Volume.35 No. 2 p.119 ~ p.125
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The Effect of Taurine and Ginseng for Toluene Hepatotoxicity in Rats
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Bae Si-Woo
Yoon In-Sook
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Abstract
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Toluene is mainly metabolized in liver by oxidative pathway. Oxygen free radicals occur through the process of toluene metabolism. Therefore it causes tissue and cell injury by the oxygen free radicals from the metabolism of toluene. Taurine is a nonessential amino acid that is of medical interest for the nutrition of infants. Taurine is known as an antioxidant that prevents organ damage by scavenging reactive oxygen species. Ginseng is one of the most popular herbal remedies and ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine with various therapeutic effects. And there are interesting report that ginseng has antioxidant reaction. To test this hypothesis, toluene hepatotoxicity was induced by an abdominal injection of toluene. To see if taurine and ginseng protect the rat’s liver, taurine and ginseng was administrated orally, at the time of each toluene injection. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), latic dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in serum were measured to estimate hepatic function. Malondialdehyde (MDA), which gives an indirect index of oxidative injury was also measured. Hippuric acid is the last metabolic production of toluene was measured by HPLC. AST, ALT, LDH and MDA levels were significantly higher in toluene group than in control group, but there were no significant differences between taurine and ginseng groups and control group. However LDH and MDA levels were significantly higher in taurine and ginseng groups than in control group. ALP levels were significantly lower in toluene and taurine groups than in control group. Hippuric acid levels were significantly higher in toluene, taurine and ginseng groups than in control group. But there were significantly lower in taurine and ginseng groups than in toluene group. Accordingly, the results suggest a significant hepatotoxicity due to oxygen free radicals through the process of toluene metabolism. Taurine and red ginseng extract treatment significantly protected hepatic function and free radical-mediated injury in the rat’s liver against toluene-induced changes. Therefore, the results in this experiment suggest that taurine and red ginseng extract are effective in preventing the toluene-induced hepatotoxicity in a rat model.
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KEYWORD
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Toluene, Hepatotoxicity, Taurine, Ginseng, Hippuric acid
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