title: Hepatoprotective effects of Yi Guan Jian, an herbal medicine, in rats with dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Yi Guan Jian (YGJ) has long been employed clinically to treat liver fibrosis in traditional Chinese Medicine but the mechanism underlying the regulation has not been clarified in detail. The present investigation was designed to assess the involvement of the fibrosis pathway in dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver fibrosis in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver fibrosis was induced by DMN injection (10mg/kg, i.p., given three consecutive days each week) following 4 weeks. YGJ was oral administered (1.8 g/kg daily via gastrogavage for two weeks). Liver sample were subjected to histological and western blot studies. For evaluation of hepatic fibrosis-related factors, collagen α1-I, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) mRNA and protein levels were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  YGJ remarkably prevented body weight loss and DMN damage in the liver, and it inhibited the elevation of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT). Oral administration of YGJ extract significantly reduced the accumulation of collagen α1-I, TIMP-1, and α-SMA in liver tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, these findings indicate that the YGJ Chinese herb showed hepatoprotective and anti-fibrogenic effects against DMN-induced hepatic injury. Our data suggest that the YGJ may be useful in reversing the development of hepatic fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jiun-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chia-Fan
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shung-Te
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Ju-Chien
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hsiao-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chuan-Mu
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D024042:Collagen Type I; D017931:DNA Primers; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; C539461:Yi Guan Jian Decoction; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat