[Study on the effect of heluoshugan capsule on liver fibrosis induced by Schistosoma japonicum infection in mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of Chinese traditional medicine heluoshugan capsule on liver fibrosis induced by Schistosoma japonicum infection in mice.


METHODS
Liver fibrosis in mice was established by Schistosoma japonicum infection in 6 weeks. Suspension of heluoshugan prepared with normal saline was given orally to the mice, 2 capsules for 20 mice daily for 8 weeks. The level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and type I, III collagen in liver tissue were detected by immuno-histochemistry.


RESULTS
The results showed that heluoshugan improved the pathological change of the liver tissue, decreased the level of type I, III collagen, especially type III collagen (P < 0.01). The level of VEGF and FAK expression was inhibited after the administration of heluoshugan, though the level usually increased in liver fibrosis due to the infection.


CONCLUSIONS
The result suggests that heluoshugan capsule might have therapeutic effect on liver fibrosis induced by the infection of Schistosoma japonicum in mice, by inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells and the pathological change of liver blood vessel.
Tong
Qiao-xia
QX
Infection Department, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Wu
Yan-yan
YY
Xu
Biao
B
Luo
Duan-de
DD
D000818:Animals; D002214:Capsules; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011897:Random Allocation; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
D002214:Capsules; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008419:Materia Medica; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C534049:heluoshugan; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; C496051:Ptk2 protein, mouse