title: [Therapeutic effects of curcumin treatment on hepatic fibrosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of curcumin treatment on hepatic fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A model of hepatic fibrosis was established using carbon tetrachloride intraperitoneal injections in rats. Curcumin was administered to one group of the model rats (curcumin group) and the other rats were used as controls (control group). Serum levels of ALT, AST, HA, LN, PCIII, and NO were measured, and Hyp, MDA, and SOD in liver tissues were measured. Liver tissue slides were stained with HE and Masson staining to study the pathological changes in the livers. Grades of hepatic fibrosis were evaluated according to a semiquantitative scoring system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the curcumin group, serum levels of ALT, AST, NO, HA, LN, PCIII, MDA, and Hyp, were (218.50+/-48.89) U/L, (376.60+/-79.13) U/L, (47.96+/-6.53) micromol/L, (289.96+/-60.43) mg/L, (107.35+/-27.24) mg/L, (148.95+/-28.63) microg/L, (236.10+/-30.54) nmol/g, (478.40+/-75.74) microg/g and all were lower than those of the control group (693.75+/-117.57) U/L, (892.50+/-105.69) U/L, (70.95+/-10.23) micromol/L, (468.22+/-93.45) mg/L, (346.44+/-75.08) mg/L, (279.82+/-54.00) microg/L, (402.25+/-39.16) nmol/g, and (752.50+/-77.62) microg/g. The differences were significant. In the curcumin group, the level of SOD (90.39+/-21.23) in the liver tissues was significantly higher than that of the control group (46.52+/-20.01). The hepatic fibrosis scores in the curcumin group were significantly lower than those of the control group. These effects were dose-dependent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Curcumin reduces rat hepatic fibrosis. Anti-peroxidation and regulation of collagen metabolism in liver tissues may be involved in the therapeutic effectiveness of curcumin on hepatic fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of the Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510220, China. shujc62@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jian-chang
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Guo-rong
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Hai-en
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiao-juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003474:Curcumin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D003474:Curcumin