[Therapeutic effect of "anti-hepatic-fibrosis 268" on hepatic fibrosis in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of the proprietary Chinese Medicine "anti-hepatic-fibrosis 268" on hepatic fibrosis and the related mechanisms.


METHODS
The model of CCl4-induced hepatic damage was established in SD rats. 54 male rats were divided into four groups, namely high dose and low dose "anti-hepatic-fibrosis 268" groups, colchicine control group, and model control group. Using Masson stain and light microscope, the authors examined the rats' hepatic tissues and counted the hepatic fiber components, then examined and counted TGF-beta1, alpha-SMA, FN, Type I, III collagen by means of immunohistochemical technique. The groups were compared and the internal relationships of the data were analyzed.


RESULTS
The levels of FN, LN, Type I and III collagen, TGF-beta1, and alpha-SMA of the CCl4 damaged rats increased (P<0.01). After 3 weeks of high dose "anti-hepatic-fibrosis 268" treatment, the levels of TGF-beta1, alpha-SMA, FN, LN, Type I and III collagen decreased (P<0.01) and the degree hepatic fibrosis took a favorable turn significantly (P<0.05) as compared with the model control. In the rats of the low dose group, the levels of TGF-beta1, alpha-SMA, FN, Type III collagen significantly decreased (P<0.05), the levels of LN, Type I collagen were not different from the model control; The hepatic fibrosis improved to a certain extent (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The mechanism of reversing hepatic fibrosis by "anti-hepatic-fibrosis 268" in this experiment is that the medicine regulates TGF-beta1 and further affects alpha-SMA, thus resulting in the decline of FN, Type I, III collagen levels in liver extracellular matrix.
Mobile Postdoctoral Center, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Nian-song
NS
Pan
Sheng-tao
ST
Li
Yi
Y
Wang
Ming-fu
MF
Li
Zhen
Z
Han
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000150:complications; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
D000199:Actins; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005353:Fibronectins; C508962:Tgfb1 protein, rat; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C027492:Huang Qi