Effects of Yukmijihwangtang, Herbal Formula, on the Liver of Aged Senescence Accelerated Mouse (SAM) P8

The aim of this study was to discover whether Yukmijihwangtang which was added Plygalae Radix, Acori graminei Rhizoma, has antioxidant effects on aged senescence-accelerated mouse (SAM) P8. The control group used 12 months old SAM P8 and the experimental group was treated with Yukmijihwangtang extracts from 8 to 12 months old. In the liver, the MnSOD of the control group were approximately 11% higher than that of the experimental group treated with herbal extracts, but CuZnSOD activities of the experimental group were approximately 20% higher than that of the control group. The catalase activities of the experimental group was approximately 67% higher than that of the control group. The hepatocytes, in the control group compared with the experimental group, contained the dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and the abnormal mitochondira which had electron-dense matrix and indistinguishable cristae. The inner cavity of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum were slightly dilated, and a number of vacuoles and transitional vesicles occured in of the hepatocytes of the control group. These results suggest that the herbal extract has an antioxidant effects on the liver of SAM P8.