肝臟疾病多年來一直是困擾國人且罹患率居高不下之一種疾病，以預防醫學角度而言，多攝取含植化學成分之天然材質，有助於減少疾病之產生。藉此，尋求探索具有生物功能材質之研究蔚為風潮。橙皮是柳橙加工後之副產物，除了少量作為烘培裝飾用，大部分為堆肥或丟棄。過去文獻已證實其含有生物功能性成分，且本計畫於初期預備試驗證實橙皮水粗萃取物對細胞之氧化破壞不僅具有保護效應，且對肝癌細胞之生存亦具有抑制性，惟此活性在 in vivo 試驗中是否依然有效，有關這方面研究，迄今仍甚為闕如。基於此，本計畫為三年期之研究，其目的為：(1)以細胞模系，探討橙皮及其活性成分對氧化誘導劑誘發肝細胞氧化損傷之保護效應；(2)以動物試驗模系，探討橙皮及其活性成分對氧化誘導劑誘發鼠肝氧化傷害之保護效應；(3)以細胞與動物試驗模系，探討橙皮及其活性成分抑制肝癌細胞，並解析其作用機制。本計畫研究結果，對橙皮之護肝效應及抗肝腫瘤之特性將有充分之瞭解，並有利於彼等作為機能性食品開發之重要依據，此不僅有助於提昇柳橙附加價值，也可提供醫藥界在肝臟疾病輔助醫療上之應用與參考。 Liver diseases, with high morbidity, are one of the most devastating mankind diseases and have tortured the people in Taiwan for many years. In the preventive medical point of view, the diets rich in phytochemicals are associated with lower risk of human liver diseases. Thus, the studies regarding searching for bioactive compounds become popular. Sweet orange peels (SOP) are the byproducts of sweet orange juice. Although small amount of SOP are used as bakery decoration or as fertilizers, most of them are disposal. Previous studies indicated that SOP has been proven to show biological activity. In addition, based on preliminary experiments, the peels displayed protective effects on oxidative damage of cells induced by oxidants, and inhibiting the growth of human hepatoma cell in vitro. However, whether SOP has hepatoprotective effect and anticancer activity in vivo remains unclear. In order to reveal these uncertainties, a three-year period project is designed. The purposes are: (1) to investigate the protective effect of SOP and their bioactive compounds on oxidants-induced oxidative damage of hepatocyte in vitro; (2) to explore hepatoprotective effect of SOP and their bioactive compounds on oxidative damage in rats induced by oxidants; (3) to determine in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity of SOP and their bioactive compounds. The results obtained will help to understand hepatoprotection and antihepatoma activity of SOP and may be used as reference base in developing functional foods. These not only facilitate to increase the additive values of SOP but also offer the reference materials in liver diseases complementary therapy.
