Herbal medicine Rhei rhizome prevents liver fibrosis in rat liver cirrhosis induced by a choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined diet.
The aim of this study was to investigate whether herbal medicine Rhei rhizome, extract powder from herbs, has influences on the development of liver fibrosis. In in vivo studies the effects of Rhei rhizome were examined using the choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet-induced liver fibrosis model. In In vitro studies the effects of Rhei rhizome on type I procollagen mRNA expression, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) of isolated hepatic stellate cell were examined. In vivo Rhei rhizome prevented fibrosis in a dose-dependent manner up to 1.0% (w/w) with a reduced number of activated stellate cells. In vitro the Rhei rhizome prevented stellate cell activation resulting in reduced type I procollagen mRNA, alpha-SMA and TIMP-1, 2 expression. These results indicate that Rhei rhizome significantly reduces liver fibrosis by the direct inhibition of stellate cell activation without reducing hepatocyte cell death.
Jin
Haiyan
H
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Minami-Kogushi 1-1-1 Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan.
Sakaida
Isao
I
Tsuchiya
Masako
M
Okita
Kiwamu
K
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000097:blood; D002796:Choline Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D045726:Metalloproteases / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012250:Rheum / Q000737:chemistry*; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry*; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism
D000199:Actins; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D024042:Collagen Type I; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D045726:Metalloproteases; D006909:Hydroxyproline