3--angeloyloxy-4--acetoxy-3--4--dihydroseselin and osthol

The effects of coumarin derivatives, osthole, imperatorin, Pd-Ia, Pd-II and Pd-III, on mice concanavalin A (Con A) (0.2 mg/mouse, i.v.)-induced hepatitis were studied. At the dose of 200 mg/kg (i.p.), these coumarins inhibited more than 90% of the Con A-induced elevation of plasma alanine aminotransferase activity, but glycyrrhizin (200 mg/kg, i.p.) caused only 45% inhibition. At the dose of 100 mg/kg (i.p.), osthole produced the strongest inhibition among these coumarins. The inhibitory activity of osthole is lost when its 7-methoxy group is replaced by a 7-hydroxy group to form osthenol. The present results showed that coumarin derivatives inhibited Con A-induced hepatitis, with osthole being the most inhibitory.

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Anticoagulants; Concanavalin A; Coumarins; Female; Furocoumarins; Glycyrrhizic Acid; Hepatitis, Animal; Liver; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C