Planta Med 2003; 69(11): 990-994
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-45143
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

The Chalcone Butein from Rhus verniciflua shows Antifibrogenic Activity

Sung Hee Lee1 , 4 , Ji-Xing Nan1 , 2 , 4 , Yu Zhe Zhao1 , Sun Wook Woo1 , Eun-Jeon Park1 , Tai-Hyun Kang1 , Geom Seog Seo3 , Youn-Chul Kim1 , Dong Hwan Sohn1
  • 1College of Pharmacy, Medicinal Resources Research Center, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Chonbuk, Republic of Korea
  • 2College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, People’s Republic of China
  • 3Department of Internal Medicine, Wonkwang University Medical School, Iksan, Chonbuk, Republic of Korea
  • 4These authors contributed equally to the work
This research was supported by a grant (#PF320401-00) from the Plant Diversity Research Center of 21st Century Frontier Research Program funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Korean Government and by Spela Co., Ltd.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: May 9, 2003

Accepted: July 26, 2003

Publication Date:
09 January 2004 (online)

Abstract

Butein is known to be the major component of the bark of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (Anacardiaceae). The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of butein on liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats, and to explore its antifibrogenic mechanism. Butein (10 mg/kg/day or 25 mg/kg/day) showed a significant reduction of hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde levels in rats. The expression of α1(I) collagen and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) mRNAs in liver was clearly reduced in a dose-dependent manner in rats given butein compared with control CCl4-treated rats. These data suggest the potential of butein to serve as an antifibrogenic agent by inhibition of collagen accumulation and lipid peroxidation, and by down-regulation of the expression of both α1(I) collagen and TIMP-1 mRNA.

Abbreviations

ALT:alanine aminotransferase

AST:aspartate aminotransferase

CCl4:carbon tetrachloride

ECM:extracellular matrix

TBARS:thiobarbituric acid reactive substance

TIMP-1:tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1

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Prof. Dong Hwan Sohn

College of Pharmacy

Wonkwang University

Iksan

Chonbuk 570-749

Republic of Korea

Phone: +82-63-850-6822

Fax: +82-63-854-6038

Email: dhsohn@wonkwang.ac.kr