Am J Chin Med. 1996 ; 24(2): 153-64.

The protective effect of Alstonia scholaris R. Br. on hepatotoxin-induced acute liver damage.

Lin SC, Lin CC, Lin YH, Supriyatna S, Pan SL.

Department of Pharmacology, Taipei Medical College, Taiwan.

The hepatoprotective effect of Alstonia scholaris R. Br. on liver injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). beta-D-galactosamine, acetaminophen and ethanol were investigated by means of serum-biochemical and histopathological examinations. Post treatment of A scholaris reduced dose-dependently the elevation of serum transaminases level and histopathological changes such as cell necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, which were caused by the single administration of 32 microliters/kg CCl4 or 600 mg/kg acetaminophen in mice. A. scholaris significantly lowered 288 mg/kg beta-D-galactosamine induced serum transaminases elevation in the serum-biochemical analysis in rats. A tendency was also shown to inhibit cell necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration caused by beta-D-galactosamine in histopathological examination. All serological and histopathological effects of A. scholaris were compared with those of Bupleurum chinense, which has been reported previously as a treatment criteria of hepatitis.