Beneficial Effect of a Controlled Chinese Herbal Remedy, K-17.22, in CCI4-Induced Liver Toxicity: an in vivo and in vitro Study

The aim of this study was to test K-17.22, an herbal formula which has been preliminarly shown to yield a significant transaminases decrease in HCV patients, in CCl 4 -induced liver toxicity. Wistar rats were allocated into 3 groups: A) given a s.c. injection of 0.1 mL/100 g body wt mixture of CCl 4 in olive oil (1 : 1 v/v) twice a day for 4 weeks; B) as A, plus oral administration of 50 mg/kg of K-17.22 dissolved in 5% glucose; C) as B but with K-17.22 given 1 week after the first injection of CCl 4 . Rats were sacrificed at the end of the study and blood and liver samples were obtained. As compared to control, group A showed a significant decrease of GSH (>45%, P 15-fold, P< 0.001) whereas both groups B and C showed only a mild transaminases increase (<3-fold, P<0.05). Group A showed a significant decrease of Y-protein fraction and of GST activity, as tested by both substrates (P<0.01 vs control). However, both these parameters were reverted to normal by K-17.22 (P<0.05 vs. A). A parallel in vitro study with hepatocyte culture showed that concentrations as low as 10 μg/mL of K-17.22 were able to significantly mitigate CCl 4 hepatocyte damage (P<0.05) comparably to 100 μg/mL silymarin, while 100 μg/mL proved to be more protective than either silymarin 100 μg/mL and of glycyrrhizin 10 μg/mL (P<0.05). These preliminary data suggest that K-17.22 exerts an highly protective and prolonged effect (either preventive and therapeutic) on GSH depletion in CCl 4 -induced liver injury, thing which might substantiate its potential use in clinical practice.