台灣特有菊科植物之抗發炎與護肝功能的研發

徐麗芬
中央研究院農業生物科技研究中心
菊科植物為台灣第三大維管束植物，其中多數種類常用為台灣的民俗草藥，其中薊屬的植物一般被認為具有護肝之功效。本計畫擬針對台灣本土特有薊屬植物：阿里山薊為目標，以科學實驗系統驗證其是否真正具有護肝功能及確認主要活性成分，並評估其開發為抗發炎或護肝功能之保健食品的潛力。本計畫將建立系統化之體外試驗平台(in vitro assay platform)，包括：巨噬細胞株(macrophage)、肝細胞株(hepatocytes)以及肝臟星狀細胞(hepatic stellate cells)，利用此三類細胞分別進行篩選具有抗發炎、保護肝細胞損傷以及抑制肝臟纖維化之生物活性成分。由體外試驗篩檢出最具開發潛力的藥草成分，將進一步利用本研究室建立之體內實驗動物模式(in vivo animal model)，亦即四氯化碳誘導小白鼠肝損傷或細菌內毒素脂多醣(lipopolysaccharide)與D-半乳糖胺(D-galactosamine)所誘導之猛爆性肝炎(fulminant hepatitis)動物系統來評估這些成分的護肝功效並瞭解其可能的作用機制，進而有效規範出具抗發炎或護肝功能之藥草成分組合、其製造品管條件與安全性與安定性評估，並於未來開發成為以科學驗證為基準(evidence-based)之護肝功能之保健食品。
關鍵字：阿里山薊、抗發炎、護肝作用、保健食品

Research and development of endemic Compositae plant in Taiwan as anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective agents

Lie-Fen Shyur
Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica
Compositae plants are the third biggest flowering plants in Taiwan. Many of the Compositae plants have been frequently practiced as folk medicines locally, such as thistle plants, which have been anecdotally claimed for hepatoprotective effects. The objective of this project is to investigate and evaluate the potential anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective bioactivities of an endemic thistle plant in Taiwan, i.e., Cirsium arisanense Kitamura. The preparation and fractionation protocols for the plant extract of C. arisanense will be established and standardized. Bioactive extracts or phytocompounds identified from the target herb will be further evaluated for their potentials to be further development into hepatoprotective functional food. In this project, in vitro assay platform using macrophage cell line, normal hepatocytes cell line, and hepatic stellate cells will be established, in attempt to evaluate the bioactivities of bioactive extract fractions or derived phytocompounds on anti-inflammation, preventing chemical or toxin-induced hepatocytes damages, and inhibiting liver fibrosis. The key molecular mechanism(s) underlying the observed bioactivities will be elucidated. The herbal extract(s)/compounds exhibiting the most significant protective effects on liver cells, as demonstrated using the in vitro assay systems, will be further studied for their in vivo pharmacological bioactivities using carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage and LPS/D-GalN -induced fulminant hepatitis in mouse model systems. The best bioactive fraction or compound formula, alone or as a mixture, for hepatoprotection will be created and its chemical manufacturing control (CMC) protocol will be established. The safety and chemical formulation stability issues of the bioactive formula will be also evaluated. The final goal of this project anticipates to developing science and evidence-based hepatoprotective healthy food(s) from endemic medicinal plant in Taiwan.
關鍵字：Cirsium arisanense Kitamura, anti-inflammation, hepatoprotection, healthy foods