Protective effect of the aqueous extract from the root of Platycodon grandiflorum on cholestasis-induced hepatic injury in mice

Context: The root of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. (Campanulaceae) has been widely studied for its hepatoprotective effects against various hepatotoxicants. Objective: The present study evaluated the protective effect of the standardized aqueous extract of P. grandiflorum (BC703) on cholestasis-induced hepatic injury in mice. Materials and methods: BC703 is a standardized aqueous extract of P. grandiflorum in reference to platycodin D (at least 0.8%). The mice were allocated into five groups as follows: Sham-operated, bile duct ligation (BDL) alone, and BDL with BC703 (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg BW) treated group. BC703 was given for 3 consecutive days before BDL operation. The animals were sacrificed by CO2 anesthesia post-24 h of BDL operations. Results and discussion: Serum alanine aminotransferase and serum aspartate aminotransferase increased to 395.2 +/- 90.0 and 266.0 +/- 45.6 Unit/L in the BDL alone group and decreased with BC703 in a dose-dependent manner. Especially the 10 mg/kg of BC703-treated mice showed a 77% decrease of serum alanine aminotransferase and 56% of aspartate aminotransferase as compared with BDL alone. Decreased antioxidant enzyme levels in BDL alone group were elevated in BC703-treated groups ranging from 7 to 29% for glutathione and from 13 to 25% for superoxide dismutase. BC703 treatment also attenuated malondialdehyde (from 3 to 32%) and nitric oxide levels (from 32 to 50%) as compared with BDL alone. Histopathological studies further confirmed the hepatoprotective effect of BC703 in BDL-induced cholestesis. Conclusion: BC703 could attenuate liver injury by BDL in mice, and test results indicate that BC703 might be useful in cholestatic liver injury.