Effects of Isoflavonoids from Maackia Amurensis Roots on the Metabolic Reactions of the Liver in Experimental Toxic Hepatitis

Abstract

A complex of isoflavonoids containing more than 78% isoflavone and pterocarpan glycosides was obtained from an alcoholic extract of the roots of the Amur maackia, a far eastern relict tree (Maackia amurensis Ruper et Maxim.). This complex contained the 7-O-gentiobiosides of daidzein, genistein, afromosin, pseudobaptigenin, formononetin, and 5-O-methylgenistein, the 3-O-gentiobiosides of maackiain and medicarpin, the compounds daidzin, and genistein, 7-O-primverosylformononetin, and the novel 7-O-primverosylpseudobaptigenin. Studies using a model of toxic hepatitis induced by poisoning of rats with carbon tetrachloride addressed the effects of the complex of isoflavonoids on the state of carbohydrate metabolism in the rat liver. Administration of this complex to animals with CCl₄ hepatitis decreased the activity of marker enzymes for cytolysis and the specific weight of the liver, promoted maintenance of the blood glucose and oxidized nicotinamide coenzyme (NAD⁺) levels, and normalized pyruvate and lactate levels in the animals’ livers. The isoflavonoid complex extracted from Maackia amurensis was more effective in restoring the reactions of liver carbohydrate metabolism (gluconeogenesis, Krebs cycle) than the reference hepatoprotector Legalon^®.