Assay Method for Antihepatotoxic Activity Using Complement-Mediated Cytotoxicity in Primary Cultured Hepatocytes¹

Abstract

Conditions were investigated to devise an in vitro assay method for antihepatotoxic activity using complement-mediated cytotoxicity in primary cultured mouse liver cells. Utilizing 3 h preincubated hepatocytes, anti-serum against liver specific lipoprotein and guinea pig complement, a satisfactory assay procedure was achieved. Some natural products known to exert liver-protective effects in experimental liver damages were subjected to screening by this assay method to reveal that cynarin, glycyrrhizin, picroside II, glycyrrhetinic acid, silybin, and picroside I exhibited significant antihepatotoxic activity but no remarkable prevention was observed in desoxypodophyllotoxin which markedly inhibited carbon tetrachloride-, D -galactosamine-, and peroxides-induced Cytotoxicity in primary cultured hepatocytes. The utility of this assay method is discussed.