COMPOSITION COMPRISING EXTRACT OF DENDROPANAX MORBIFERA LEV. FOR THE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF DISEASES CAUSED BY HEAVY METAL POISONING

摘要

The present invention relates to a composition for treating and preventing diseases caused by heavy metal poisoning, which contains an extract of Dendropanax morbifera Lev. as an active ingredient. More specifically, the extract of the present invention is tested for the function of removing reactive oxygen species caused by heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury with regard to malondialdhyde (MDA), Cn-Zn superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity. The result of the test confirms that the extract strongly inhibits the activity thereof; significantly decreases an expression of genes related to detoxication of heavy metals such as GSTP1 and metallothioneins in cells having toxicity caused by arsenic-based, lead-based, and cadmium-based complexes and also, an expression of genes such as interleukin cytokine and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) related to an oxidative stress of cells and survival thereof; and exhibits an excellent excretion of heavy metals in blood as a result of checking the level of excretion of male Sprague-Dawley rats injected with heavy metals. Accordingly, the composition is useful as a pharmaceutical composition for preventing and treating diseases caused by heavy metal poisoning and as a health functional food given the confirmation that the extract of Dendropanax morbifera Lev. exhibits an excellent excretion effect of heavy metals.