The hepatoprotective properties of an extract from the brown alga Saccharina japonica

This study examines the influence of an extract from the brown alga Saccharina japonica on the antiradical activity and biochemical indices of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in rat liver during carbon tetrachloride (CTC) poisoning. The Saccharina extract contributed to a reduction of the level of free-radical processes, effective relief of tissue hypoxia, and the restoration of the neutral lipid fractions pattern. The therapeutic effectiveness of the algal preparation appeared to be greater than that of the widely adopted reference hepatoprotector Legalon.