Effects of Sino-Japanese herbs in the family Compositae on the hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes and lipid peroxidation in rats

The effects of hot water extracts (HWEs) from 15 kinds of Compositae herbs and distanninized fractions (DTFs) from 9 of theses herbs on rat hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase (APD) and aniline hydroxylase (ANH) were examined in vitro. The APD activity was inhibited by HWEs from 12 herbs, of which the effect of HWE from Inchinko was remarkable. Inhibitory effects of DTFs from Inchinko, Gaiyo, Kantoka, Sojutsu and Byakujutsu on the APD activity were smaller, if any, than those of the corresponding HWEs, whereas DTF from Koka enhanced the activity of APD. The ANH activity was inhibited by HWEs from 11 herbs. HWEs from Inchinko, Gaiyo and Senpukuka increased the ANH activity, whereas the DTFs from them caused inhibition. The inhibitory effect of DTF from Shion on the ANH activity was smaller than that of the corresponding HWE, but the effects of DTFs from Koka, Byakujutsu, Sojutsu and Mokko were larger than those of the respective HWEs. LPO was inhibited by HWEs from 14 herbs, of which the HWEs from Inchinko, Gaiyo, Kantoka, Koka and Mokko caused marked inhibitions. Except in the case of Shion, the inhibitory effects of DTFs on LPO were smaller than those of the corresponding HWEs, whereas DTF from Koka still showed a marked inhibition. In the present experiments, it is suggested that Inchinko, Gaiyo, Koka, Kikuka, Senpukuka, Byakujutsu, Sojutsu and Mokko, which showed remarkable effects on LPO and the activities of APD and ANH, might also exert their effects in vivo.