Abstract: Objective To investigate the protective effects of total glucoside of Picrorhiza scrophulariflora (TGP) on intrahepatic cholestasis induced by α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) in ICR mice. Methods TGP (0.33~9 mg·kg-1 per day) were injectively given to experimental mice for five consecutive days. A single dose of ANIT (80 mg·kg-1) was orally given to mice on the third day to induce intrahepatic cholestasis. All animals were killed on 2 h after TGP final administration. The levels of serum ALT,AST,ALB,ALP,TBIL,DBIL and TBA were measured by automatic chemistry analyzer (TBA-40FR). Liver histopathological changes were examined by H.E and light microscopy. Results ANIT 80 mg·kg-1 could induced significant liver damage and jaundice, expressed in the higher serum ALT,AST,ALP,TBIL,DBIL,TBA activities and the apoptosis or bile canaliculus injury in liver tissue. TGF injection (0.33~9 mg·kg-1) showed significantly protective effects to liver damage and jaundice induced by ANIT. Compared with the model group, TGP could significantly reduce the elevated serum ALT,AST,ALP,TBIL,DBIL,TBA and relieve the liver pathological injury. There is a dose-dependent relationship between 0.33~3 mg·kg-1 dose range. Conclusion TGP injection showed the significant action of reducing serum bilirubin and transaminase and improving liver tissue injury of experimental cholestasis induced by ANIT. The optimum doses are 1~3 mg·kg-1. It should be careful to make the dose choice in clinical trial.

Key words: Picrorhiza scrophulariflora Pennell, total glucosides, injection, ANIT, liver injury, cholestasis