title: Effect of rat serum containing Biejiajian oral liquid on proliferation of rat hepatic stellate cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Liver fibrosis is a common pathological process of chronic liver diseases. Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is the key issue in the occurrence of liver fibrosis. In this study, we observed the inhibitory action of rat serum containing Biejiajian oral liquid (BOL), a decoction of turtle shell, on proliferation of rat HSCs, and to explore the anti-hepatofibrotic mechanisms of BOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rat model of hepatic fibrosis was induced by subcutaneous injection of CCl(4). Serum containing low, medium and high dosages of BOL was prepared respectively. Normal and fibrotic HSCs were isolated and cultured. The effect of sera containing BOL on proliferation of HSCs was determined by (3)H-TdR incorporation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inhibitory rate of normal rat HSC proliferation caused by 100 mL/mL sera containing medium and high dosages of BOL showed a remarkable difference as compared with that caused by colchicine (medium dosage group: 34.56+/-4.21% vs 29.12+/-2.85%, P<0.01; high dosage group: 37.82+/-1.32% vs 29.12+/-2.85%, P<0.01). The inhibitory rate of fibrotic rat HSC proliferation caused by 100 mL/L serum containing medium and high dosages of BOL showed a remarkable difference as compared with that caused by colchicine (medium dosage group: 51.31+/-3.14% vs 38.32+/-2.65%, P<0.01; high dosage group: 60.15+/-5.36% vs 38.32+/-2.65%, P<0.01). The inhibitory rate of normal rat HSC proliferation caused by 100 mL/L and 200 mL/L sera containing a medium dosage of BOL showed a significant difference as compared with that caused by 50 mL/L (100 mL/L group: 69.02+/-9.96% vs 50.82+/-9.28%, P<0.05; 200 mL/L group: 81.78+/-8.92% vs 50.82+/-9.28%, P<0.01). The inhibitory rate of fibrotic rat HSC proliferation caused by 100 mL/L and 200 mL/L sera containing a medium dosage of BOL showed a significant difference as compared with that caused by 50 mL/L (100 mL/L group: 72.19+/-10.96% vs 61.38+/-7.16%, P<0.05; 200 mL/L group: 87.16+/-8.54% vs 61.38+/-7.16%, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rat serum containing BOL can inhibit proliferation of rat HSCs, and the inhibition depends on the dosage and concentration of BOL. The inhibitory effect on HSC proliferation is one of the main anti-hepatofibrotic mechanisms of BOL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China. ylyj@mail.hz.zj.cn
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Zhen-Min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Ge-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yue-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044967:Serum
chemical_list: D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride