Investigations on the actions of silybin on regenerating rat liver. Effects on Kupffer's cells.

Studies were conducted on the effects of silybin upon the biological activities of Kupffer's cells in regenerating livers of rats subjected to partial hepatectomy. As far as proliferative activity is concerned, which was assessed by the colchicine stathmokinetic method on Kupffer's cells isolated from the liver by enzymatic digestion, it was appreciably increased in rats treated with silybin in respect of controls. Phagocytic and bactericidal activities were not modified. The increased mitotic activity induced on Kupffer's cells by silybin was interpreted as a further expression of the effectiveness of silybin on the cellular components of the liver.