INVESTIGATION OF KOREAN PLANT-EXTRACTS FOR POTENTIAL PHYTOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS AGAINST B-VIRUS HEPATITIS

The present study was undertaken to identify potential phytotherapeutic agents among the aqueous extracts of 151 herbal medicinal plants of Korea. Extracts were assayed for (1) binding potency to hepatitis B-virus surface antigen (HBsAg), and (2) inhibition of serum hepatitis B-virus DNA polymerase activity. Of the 151 aqueous plant extracts tested, 33 demonstrated a positive precipitation reaction with HBsAg(+) serum, and 15 of these specifically bound HBsAg in serum as well as recombinant HBsAg (Hepavax(R)). Nine extracts competitively inhibited > 80% of anti-HBsAg antibody binding to Hepavax(R) HBsAg, Furthermore, nine of these 15 plant extracts also exhibited greater than 25%-50% inhibition of hepatitis B-virus (HBV) DNA polymerase activity, and also significantly stimulated production of the potent cytokine, tumour necrosis factor (TNF). None of the extract concentrations used altered liver function parameters of normal rats.