title: Saikosaponin-d attenuates the development of liver fibrosis by preventing hepatocyte injury.
abstract: Treatment of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis remains a challenging field. Hepatocyte injury and the activation of hepatic stellate cells are the 2 major events in the development of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. It is known that several Chinese herbs have significant beneficial effects on the liver; therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of saikosaponin-d (SSd) on liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. A rat model of liver fibrosis was established using the dimethylnitrosamine method. Liver tissue and serum were used to examine the effect of SSd on liver fibrosis. A hepatocyte culture was also used to investigate how SSd can protect hepatocytes from oxidative injury induced by carbon tetrachloride. The results showed that SSd significantly reduced collagen I deposition in the liver and alanine aminotransferase level in the serum. Moreover, SSd decreased the content of TGF-beta1 in the liver, which was significantly elevated after dimethylnitrosamine induced liver fibrosis. Furthermore, SSd was able to alleviate hepatocyte injury from oxidative stress. In conclusion, SSd could postpone the development of liver fibrosis by attenuating hepatocyte injury.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB, R3T2N2, Canada.
authors.forename: Jianghong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tailing
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yaw
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Siow
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Choy
authors.forename: Yuewen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D024042:Collagen Type I; D012503:Saponins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine; C025759:saikosaponin D