Studies on the Activities of Tannins and Related Compounds from Medicinal Plants and Drugs. IV. Effects of Various Extracts of Geranii herba and Geraniin on Liver Injury and Lipid Metabolism in Rats Fed Peroxidized Oil

Abstract

The effects of several kinds of extracts from the herb Geranium thunbergii and of geraniin, the main components of tannin of this herb, on liver injury produced in rats by feeding peroxidized oil were investigated. The acetone-water and water extracts, and also geraniin, were found to reduce lipid peroxide concentrations in the serum and liver of the animals with liver injury. These extracts and geraniin were also found to reduce the levels of serum cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in the peroxidized oil-treated rats.