title: Regulating effect of Chinese herbal medicine on the peritoneal lymphatic stomata in enhancing ascites absorption of experimental hepatofibrotic mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the regulatory effect of Chinese herbal medicine on peritoneal lymphatic stomata and its significance in treating ascites in liver fibrosis model mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two Chinese herbal composite prescriptions were used separately to treat the carbon tetrachloride-induced mouse model of liver fibrosis. The histo-pathologic changes of the liver sections (HE and VG stainings) were observed. The peritoneal lymphatic stomata was detected by scanning electron microscopy and computer image processing. The changes of urinary volume and sodium ion concentration were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the model group, lots of fibrous tissue formed in liver and extended into the hepatic lobules to separate them incompletely. In the treated and prevention groups, the histo-pathologic changes of liver was rather milder, only showed much less fibrous tissue proliferation in the hepatic lobules. The peritoneal lymphatic stomata enlarged with increased density in the experimental groups (diameter: PA, 3.07 +/- 0.69 microm; PB, 2.82 +/- 0.37 microm; TA, 3.25 +/- 0.82 microm and TB, 2.82 +/- 0.56 microm; density: PA, 7.11 +/- 1.90 stomata.1000 microm(-2); PB, 8.76 +/- 1.45 stomata.1000 microm(-2); TA, 6.55 +/- 1.44 stomata.1000 microm(-2)and TB, 8.76+/-1.79 stomata.1000 microm(-2)), as compared with the model group (diameter: 2.00+/-0.52 microm density: 4.45+/-1.05 stomata.1000 microm(-2)). After treatment, the urinary volume and sodium ion excretion increased in the experimental groups (PA, 231.28+/-41.09 mmol.L(-1); PB, 171.69 +/- 27.48 mmol.L(-1) and TA, 231.44 +/- 34.12 mmol.L(-1)), which were significantly different with those in the model group (129.33 +/- 36.75 mmol.L(-1)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chinese herbal medicine has marked effects in alleviating liver fibrosis, regulating peritoneal lymphatic stomata, improving the drainage of ascites from peritoneal cavity and causing increase of urinary volume and sodium ion excretion to reduce the water and sodium retention, and thus have favorable therapeutic effect in treating ascites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Lymphology, Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031, Zhejiang Province, China. lijc@mail.hz.zj.cn
authors.forename: Ji-Cheng
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shi-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001201:Ascites / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002712:Chlorides / Q000652:urine; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010537:Peritoneum; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D011897:Random Allocation; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012964:Sodium; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D011188:Potassium