Cytochemical studies on the effect of intraperitoneal and oral administration of a traditional chinese medicine(sho-saiko-to) on the D-galactosamine-induced hepatic injury of rats.

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Abstract
The effect of "Sho-saiko-to" (TJ-9), a traditional Chinese medicine, on the D-galactosamine (D-Gal)-induced hepatic injury of rats was estimated from morphological and cytochemical aspects, comparing the methods of administration of TJ-9. A single administration of D-Gal to rats resulted in a hepatic injury with some morphological and histo-cytochemical changes. Both light and electron microscopy showed a disorder in the hepatic lobular structure and configuration of hepatic cords, retention of lipid droplets in hepatocytes, infiltration of inflammatory cells, a decrease in the number of sinusoidal microvilli, dilatation of bile canaliculi, etc. Cytochemical observation showed a remarkable decline of activities of 5''-nucleotidase (5''Nase), a plasma membranous enzyme, and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), an endoplasmic membranous enzyme, in the liver cells injured by D-Gal. However, in the rats receiving prophylaxis or therapeutic treatment with TJ-9 by intraperitoneal or oral administration, neither severe morphological changes nor a remarkable decline of the enzyme activities was observed. These results suggest that the prophylaxis with TJ-9 prevents the occurrence of hepatic injury, and therapeutic treatment improves the pathological changes induced by D-Gal. Comparing the methods of TJ-9 administration to the rats, intraperitoneal administration was more effective than oral on the hepatic injury. Enzyme cytochemical changes in the liver could be regarded as a useful hallmark for estimating the effect of a drug and the degree of hepatic dysfunction, as well as structural changes in the liver tissue. The present study provided morphological and cytochemical evidence supporting the fact that TJ-9 is efficacious in the treatment of human hepatitis.