Effects of Japanese herbal medicine inchin-ko-to on endotoxin-induced cholestasis in the rat

Arab, JP; Ramírez C.; Muñoz P; Pizarro M.; Solís N.; Riquelme A.; Arrese M.

Abstract

Background/Objective. Inchin-ko-to (ICKT) is an herbal medicine used in Japan to treat jaundice and liver fibrosis. We investigated the effect of oral ICKT supplementation on endotoxin-induced cholestasis in the rat. Material and methods. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection (1 mg/kg body weight i.p.) was used as a model of sepsis-induced cholestasis. Bile flow, biliary bile salt secretion, biliary glutathione secretion and protein expression of the main hepatobiliary transporters Na(+)-taurocholate-cotransporting peptide (Ntcp), multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mrp2) and bile salt export pump (Bsep) were analyzed by conventional techniques in ICKT treated and non-treated animals. Results. Injection of LPS induced a significant decrease of bile flow (-24%), biliary bile salts (-40%) and glutathione excretion (-70%) as well as a significant decrease in Ntcp (-90%) and Mrp2 (-80%) protein levels. ICKT supplementation partially prevented the effects of LPS determining a less intense reduction in bile flow (-10%), a normalization of glutathione excretion as well as a significant increase in Mrp2 protein levels to 60% of the levels observed in control animals. ICKT administration did not modify the effects of LPS on BS secretion or Ntcp protein levels. Conclusion. Our data show that oral supplementation of ICKT partially prevents LPS-induced cholestasis by increasing Mrp2 protein levels and biliary glutathione excretion thus increasing bile salt-independent flow.

Más información

Título según WOS: Effects of Japanese herbal medicine inchin-ko-to on endotoxin-induced cholestasis in the rat
Título según SCOPUS: Effects of Japanese herbal medicine Inchin-ko-to on endotoxin-induced cholestasis in the rat
Título de la Revista: ANNALS OF HEPATOLOGY
Volumen: 8
Número: 3
Editorial: MEXICAN ASSOC HEPATOLOGY
Fecha de publicación: 2009
Página de inicio: 228
Página final: 233
Idioma: English
Notas: ISI, SCOPUS