Objective: To study the effects of different extracts from Wikstroemia indica root on the hepatotoxicity in rats. Method: Seventy-two SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group

ethanol extract group

petroleum ether extract group

ethyl acetate extract group

n-butanol extract group and water extract group

with 12 rats in each group. Different drug groups were intragastrically administrated with drugs for two weeks

and the rats' body weight was measured once every two days. On the fifteenth day

six rats were randomly selected from each group

and anaesthetized with 3% pentobarbital sodium

and their blood was collected from aorta abdominalis. After blood centrifugation

the alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

alkaline phosphatase (ALP)

total bilirubin (T-BIL)

total protein (TP)

albumin (ALB)

blood glucose (GLU)

total cholesterol (CHOL)

and creatinine (Cr) in serum were detected. Their livers were collected and weighed

and the organ index was calculated. The hepatic histopathology was examined. Then the remaining six rats in each group were given no drug but fed with normal food and water for two weeks to observe their recovery. The above indexes were detected on the twenty-eighth day. Result: Compared with control group

the liver coefficients of ethanol extract group and ethyl acetate extract group increased significantly after two weeks (P<0.05). The serum levels of ALT

AST

GLB were increased

and A/G

TP and ALB were decreased (P<0.05) in ethanol extract group. The serum levels of ALP

T-BIL

GLU were increased

and A/G

TP and ALB were decreased (P<0.05) in ethyl acetate extract group. The serum levels of AST

AST/ALT

ALP

GLU were increased

T-BIL

ALB

TP and A/G were decreased in petroleum ether extract group (P<0.05

P<0.01). The serum levels of AST/ALT

T-BIL were increased and A/G decreased (P<0.05

P<0.01) in extract of butanol. Only A/G decreased in the serum of water extract group (P<0.05). The rat liver tissues of ethanol extract group

ethyl acetate extract group and petroleum ether extract group showed different degrees of inflammatory cell infiltration

certain fatty degeneration of liver cells and focal necrosis of liver cells

which were rare in other rare group. After the drug withdrawal for two weeks

the liver coefficient of each group was close to that of blank control group. The biochemical indexes of liver function in each group were recovered to the level of blank group

and there was no significant difference. The liver tissue cells of each group showed a clear structure

with rare inflammatory cells infiltration and no fatty degeneration and necrosis of liver cells. Conclusion: The ethanol extract group and the ethyl acetate extracted group of Miao medicine W. indica root have a greater damage to the liver

with obvious hepatotoxicity. The petroleum ether extract group also shows a certain injury to liver

which however is lower than that of the ethanol extract group and the ethyl acetate extracted group. The n-butanol extract group shows a lower toxicity

and the water extract group shows no toxicity. After recovery for two weeks

the biochemical indexes of liver function of rats in each group were almost recovered to the level of the blank group

and the liver injury of rats was significantly reduced

which indicated that the hepatotoxicity of W. indica root had a certain reversibility.