Abstract
The action of saikosaponin, which is effective to D-galactosamine induced hepatic injury, to intracellular microorgans of normal rat liver cells was examined quantitatively by electron microscopy.
After 24 hours of injection of saikosaponin 2mg/kg of body weight, the endoplasmic reticulum, especially smooth endoplasmic reticulum, was remarkably increased. The volume density of smooth endoplasmic reticulum to cytoplasm of saikosaponin 2mg/kg treated liver cells was increased to 7.34±1.34% in comparison with 3.77±0.41%.of normal liver cells but the volume density of mitochondria was not changed. In the rat liver treated with saikosaponin 20mg/kg, the volume densities of mitochondria and golgi complex significantly increased although the endoplasmic reticulum was not increased.
