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Abstract: Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced acute liver injury model is well established as a model of T cell-mediated liver injury, in which T cells and NKT cells exert their cytotoxicity towards liver cells. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of CGX, a traditional Korean medicine against Con A-induced liver injury and its underlying mechanisms. After pretreatment with CGX (po, 50, 100 or 200mg/kg) or distilled water once daily during 7days, Con A (15mg/kg) was injected intravenously. Thereafter serum level of AST and ALT, lipid peroxidation and cytokines in the liver tissue, and immune cell population in blood and the spleen were analyzed. CGX treatment reduced serum ALT, AST level in a dose-dependent manner. CGX treatment significantly decreased the lipid peroxidation and glutathione depletion in the liver tissue, and also lowered tissue levels of tumor necrotic factor-α and interferon-γ. CGX treatment attenuated the compositional alteration of Tc, Th, NKT, and B cells in blood as well as in the spleen. These results suggest that CGX has hepatoprotective property against Con A-induced liver injury through antioxidant action and immune regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: CGX is a potential hepatoprotective herbal medicine used to treat various chronic liver disorders. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the pharmaceutical safety of CGX via a systemic 13-week repeated dose toxicity test in beagle dogs. Male and female beagle dogs were divided into four groups and two animals each from the control and high-dose group (400mg/kg) were allocated into recovery groups. The dogs were administered with CGX (0, 100, 200, 400mg/kg) for 13weeks. During the experimental period, the dogs were observed for signs of gross toxicity and for behavioral changes; body weight and food consumption were measured. An ophthalmologic examination and urinalysis were performed at 0 and 13th week and blood biochemistry and hematological parameters analyses were performed at 0, 6th, and 13th week. A histopathological examination was also performed at the end of the experiment. There were no CGX-induced abnormalities in clinical signs, organ weights, food consumption, hematological, urine, and blood biochemical parameters, or histopathological findings in any of the groups during or after the 13weeks. We demonstrated the safety of CGX for 13-week repeated dose and considered that it is safe for chronic clinical use. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aim: CGX, a modified traditional Chinese herbal drug whose name means “liver cleaning,” is used to treat various liver disorders. This study investigated the protective effects of CGX and its mechanisms. Material and methods: After pretreating ICR mice twice daily with CGX (po, 50 or 100mg/kg) or distilled water for three consecutive days, acute liver injury was induced by a single injection of CCl4 (ip, 10mL/kg of 0.2% in olive oil) (n =8 per group). Results: Pretreatment with CGX significantly attenuated the elevation in biochemical parameters, such as alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum, and the malondialdehyde concentrations in liver tissue. Pretreatment with CGX significantly restored the reduction of catalase activity and glutathione (GSH) content, but not superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and it inhibited the CCl4-induced high expression of iNOS and TNF-α in hepatic tissue. Conclusion: This study showed that CGX has hepatoprotective effects against free radical-induced acute injury via primarily antioxidative properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]