七層塔係本省常用之民間要，傳統上被使用於消炎、解毒、及治療肝炎。有關七層塔之基源已被證實為節毛鼠尾草及印度羅勒，為了究明其保肝作用，並評估其藥效本研究進行了節毛鼠尾草(Salvia plebeia R. Br. )、印度羅勒(Ocimum gratissimum L. )及羅勒(O. basilicum L. )對四氯化碳(CCl4)及D--半乳糖胺(D-galactosamine)誘發急性肝炎之藥理學及病理學實驗，並以北柴胡(Bupleurum chinense DC. )作為對照生藥。由實驗結果及統計學之分析，節毛鼠尾草及羅勒對四氯化碳所誘發之急性血清GOT與GPT值之上升現象，呈現有意義之抑制作用，其中以節毛鼠尾草之效果最為顯著，除此之外，印度羅勒對GOT、GPT沒有明顯的抑制肝障害之作用;而對D-半乳糖胺所誘發之急性肝損傷，上述三種植物均呈現有意義之保肝作用。同時經由觀察病理切片之變化，如肝小葉中心壞死、脂肪性變化、氣球樣變性、炎症細胞浸潤及玻質樣變性等改善，更確認了各藥物之保肝效果。 Chhit-cha`n-than is one of the folk medicines in Taiwan.It has been used in the treatment of hepatitis. The origin of Chhit-cha`n-than has been proved to be originated from Salvia plebeia R.Br.and Ocimum gratissimum L.To clarify and evaluate their hepatoprotective activity,the pharmacological and pathological studies on CCl4-and D-galactosamine-induced acute hepatitis with water extacts of S. plebeia, O. grofissimum and O. basilicum have been made. Their effects were also compared with those of Bupleurum chinense. From the experimental results, it is shown that the water extracts (100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg) of S. plebeia and O. basilicum significantly decreased the acute increase in serum GOT and GPT level caused by CCI4. Furthermore, the liver protective activity of S. plebeia was better than O. basilicum. In contrast of D-galactosamine-induced acute hepatoxicity experiment, all water extracts of these three plants were able to significantly reduce the acute increase in serum transaminase (SGOT and SGPT). In liver biosy, the effects of crude drug water extracts on the pathological changes induced by CCl4 and D-galactosamine, such as cell necrosis, fatty change, balloonig degeneration, in-flammatory infiltration of lymphocytes and Kupffer cells around the central vein (CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity) and portal vein(D-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity), and hyaline degeneration were also described and discussed.
