Planta Med 2014; 80 - PD47
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1382468

Hepatoprotective lignans of Opuntia ficus-indica seeds against ethanol insult to primary rat hepatocytes

JW Kim 1, SH Sung 1
  • 1College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151 – 742, Republic of Korea

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of an 80% ethanol extract of O. ficus-indica (Cactaceae) seeds resulted in the isolation of six lignans (1 – 6). Among the isolated lignans, compounds 4 – 6 which having furofuran ring moiety in the structure protected rat primary hepatocytes against ethanol-induced oxidative stress by reducing the intracellular ROS level and maintaining antioxidative defense systems such as glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and the content of glutathione (GSH).