Effects of the Japanese Herbal Medicine “Sho‐saiko‐to”(TJ‐9) on Interleukin‐12 Production in Patients withHCV‐Positive Liver Cirrhosis

Abstract

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is an important cytokine for maintainence of normal systemic defense and bioregulation. The Japanese herbal medicine Sho-saiko-to (TJ-9) has been administered to 1.5 million Japanese patients with chronic liver diseases. TJ-9 is known to significantly suppress cancer development in the liver and has macrobiotic effects. In the present study, we examined the in vitro production of IL-12 by circulating mononuclear cells from liver cirrhosis patients and the effects of TJ-9 on IL-12 production. The monocyte/macrophage fraction and the lymphocyte fraction of peripheral blood were obtained from 11 HCV-positive liver cirrhosis patients and 12 healthy subjects. Interleukin-12 levels in the supernatants were measured using ELISA kits. The levels of IL-12 produced by the patients fractions were significantly lower than those produced by healthy subjects (p < 0.01, p < 0.05). However, when TJ-9 was added to the cultures, the IL-12 production levels in both cell fractions increased approximately three fold, and the levels from the monocyte/macrophage fraction were almost the same as those from healthy subjects. This effect of TJ-9 was attributable to two of its seven herb components, that is, scutellaria root and glycyrrhiza root. One possible mechanism for the macrobiotic effects of TJ-9 on liver cirrhosis patients may be the improvement in IL-12 production.

Hepatic stellate cells: a target for the treatment of liver fibrosis

“…73 Extensive clinical use suggested that TJ-9 prevented the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis C virus infection. 74 We have previously reported that glycyrrhizin, an extract of licorice, abrogated ethanol plus CCl 4 -induced hepatic fibrogenesis in rats. It reduced liver injury and NF-kB binding activity, as well as the degree of the liver fibrosis.…”

Hepatotoxic Botanicals - An Evidence-based Systematic Review

“…Few reports reported hepatotoxic events and death associated with consumption D. dasycarpus with other herbal preparation (128,129,130,131). Additionally, Kampo medicine including DaiSaiko-to and Syo-saiko-to consists of mixture of herbs that has been used as a remedy of several illnesses like dyspepsia and pyretic diseases (10,133). However, these herbal medicine have been linked with some cases of hepatotoxicity (132,134).…”

“…However, these herbal medicine have been linked with some cases of hepatotoxicity (132,134). Accordingly, the toxic agents responsible for hepatotoxicity of these kampo herbs are glycyrrhiza, and scutellaria constituents (132,133). Moreover, the mechanism by which these herbs induce hepatotoxicity is not fully understood (132).…”

“…They all presented with jaundice and diagnosed with inflammation of portal tract, fibrosis, microvesicular fatty change, acidophilic degeneration and two of them developed cholestasis. The toxic compound in Syo-saiko-to for these cases found to be bicalin in Scutellaria and glycyrrhizin in Glycyrrhiza (133). Moreover, Syo-saiko-to showed to contain glycyrrhizin-a triterpenic saponoside-that causes liver diseases including fatal hepatic necrosis, hepatic granulomas and microvesicular steatosis (113).…”

“…Another kampo herb is Syo-saiko-to, which has been used as a therapy for pyretic diseases and liver diseases in Japan, Taiwan, and China. It is also known as Xiao-chai-hu-tang or da-chai-hutang in China and TJ-9 in Japan (10,111,113,133). Syo-saiko-to consists of seven different botanicals including Scutellaria and Glycyrrhiza (111).…”