Pharmacological effects of Dai-saiko-to on lipid biosynthesis in cultured human hepatocyte HepG2 cells

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 46; no. 1; pp. 49 - 54
• Main Authors: Yamamoto, K, Ogawa, Y, Yanagita, Y, Morito, F, Fukushima, N, Ozaki, I, Mizuta, T, Setoguchi, Y, Sakai, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier 01-04-1995
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cell Division - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; China; Cholesterol - biosynthesis; Cholesterol - metabolism; Diglycerides - biosynthesis; Diglycerides - metabolism; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; General pharmacology; hepatocytes; Humans; Hyperlipidemias - drug therapy; Japan; Lipid Metabolism; lipid metabolism disorders; Lipids - biosynthesis; Liver - cytology; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phospholipids - biosynthesis; Phospholipids - metabolism; Plant Extracts; Plant Roots - metabolism; Triglycerides - biosynthesis; Triglycerides - metabolism; Japan; China; Asia; Human; Hepatocyte; Folk medicine; Pharmacognosy; Liver; Plant origin; Lipids; Biosynthesis; In vitro; Biological activity; Antilipemic agent; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-8741(95)01227-5

The pharmacological effects of Dai-saiko-to, a Japanese and Chinese traditional medicinal mixture (Kampohozai), on lipid biosynthesis were investigated in cultured human hepatocyte HepG2 cells. The addition of Dai-saiko-to (0.5 microgram/milliliter), which had no significant effect on cell proliferation, caused a marked decrease in the intracellular triglyceride content with no significant changes in the other lipid fraction. At the same time, the incorporation of 14C-acetate or 3H-glycerol into the triglyceride or diglyceride fractions also decreased significantly. These results suggest that Dai-saiko-to decreases hepatic triglyceride biosynthesis, which might contribute to a reduction in plasma VLDL levels.