Medicinal foodstuffs. XXIX. Potent protective effects of sesquiterpenes and curcumin from Zedoariae Rhizoma on liver injury induced by D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide or tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Biol Pharm Bull. 2002 May;25(5):627-31. doi: 10.1248/bpb.25.627.

Abstract

The 80% aqueous acetone extract of Zedoariae Rhizoma was found to show a protective effect against D-galactosamine (D-GalN)/lipopolysaccharide-induced acute liver injury in mice. To clarify the active compounds, the principal constituents were examined and 11 sesquiterpenes (furanodiene, curdione, neocurdrione, dehydrocurdione, germacrone, 13-hydroxygermacrone, curcumenol, isocurcumenol, aerugidiol, zedoarondiol, and curcumenone) and a diarylheptanoid (curcumin) were found to inhibit the increase in serum aspartate aminotransaminase and alanine aminotransaminase at a dose of 50 mg/kg p.o. in agreement with the previous in vitro studies, except for dehydrocurdione, aerugidiol, and zedoarondiol. In particular, curdione, neocurdione, curcumenol, and isocurcumenol potently inhibited the increase at a dose of 12.5 mg/kg p.o. Furthermore, the eight sesquiterpenes, furanodiene, curdione, neocurdione, dehydrocurdione, germacrone, 13-hydroxygermacrone, curcumenol, and curcumenone, also showed a protective effect against D-GalN/tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced liver injury in mice at a dose of 50 mg/kg p.o.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / pathology
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / prevention & control*
  • Curcumin / pharmacology*
  • Galactosamine / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Galactosamine / toxicity
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Lipopolysaccharides / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity*
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / toxicity*
  • Zingiberaceae / chemistry*

Substances

  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Plant Extracts
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Galactosamine
  • Curcumin