Mycelial culture of Phellinus linteus protects primary cultured rat hepatocytes against hepatotoxins

Hepatoprotective activity of Phellinus linteus was studied using H2O2- or galactosamine-injured primary cultures of rat hepatocytes as screening systems. The methanolic extract of the mycelial culture of Phellinus linteus significantly protected against hepatotoxins-induced toxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes as seen from the decreased level of glutamic pyruvic transaminase released from the injured hepatocytes. The methanolic extract of the mycelial culture of Phellinus linteus was subsequently fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water. Among these fractions, 100 mug/mL of the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active one. The relative protections were 68.9 +/- 5.3% in H2O2-injured hepatocytes and 46.8 +/- 3.9% in galactosarnine-injured hepatocytes, respectively. The ethyl acetate fraction appeared to maintain the glutathione level which was decreased by the treatment of H2O2 or galactosarnine and restored the level of RNA synthesis more than two times compared to galactosamine-injured hepatocytes. These results suggest that the ethyl acetate fraction of the mycelial culture of Phellinus linteus protects hepatocytes from H2O2- or galactosamine- induced injury by maintaining hepatic glutathione level and RNA synthesis as well. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.