Objective: To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of saponins of Panax notoginseng (PNS) on drug-induced liver injury in mice. Method: Mice were randomly divided into six groups

control group

model group

low

middle

high-dose (100

200

400 mg· kg-1) of PNS and bifendate group (200 mg· kg-1). The model of drug-induced liver injury was induced by intragastric administration of isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RFP) in mice. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

aspartate transaminase (AST) in serum and the content of superoxide dismutase (SOD)

malondialdehyde(MDA)

glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in liver homogenate were assayed by spectrophotometry. The pathological changes of hepatic tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Result: The liver index (70.84±5.93)

(66.38±4.33) mg· g-1 of in PNS middle

high-dose groups was lower than that (83.18±6.12) mg· g-1in the model group(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the model group

the levels of ALT (89.71±12.13)

(79.58±12.54)

(65.86±13.82) U· L-1 and AST (101.54±14.61)

(83.70±9.85)

(69.47±15.41) U· L-1 in PNS low

middle

high-dose groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The content of MDA (7.80±1.21)

(7.07±1.17) nmol· mg-1in PNS middle

high-dose groups was also lower than that (9.62±1.68) nmol· mg-1in the model group(P<0.05 or P<0.01)

while the activity of SOD (119.69±14.32)

(129.72±20.22) U· mg-1 and GSH-Px (108.02±17.07)

(112.72±17.54) U· mg-1 in PNS middle

high-dose groups was higher than that in the model group(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Hepatic tissues stained with HE showed that PNS could remarkably relieve liver injury. Conclusion: PNS has protective effect on drug-induced liver injury in mice

which may be related to antioxidant effect.