title: Effects of Shugan-Huayu powder, a traditional Chinese medicine, on hepatic fibrosis in rat model.
abstract: Shugan-Huayu powder (SHP) has been administered to outpatients with chronic liver disease without clear anti-fibrosis mechanism. To investigate the anti-fibrotic effects of SHP on liver fibrosis in a rat model and in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in vitro, rats were gavaged with CCl4 at 1.0 g/kg body weight twice a week for 8 weeks to induce liver fibrosis and the rats were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: -CCl4 alone, low-dose SHP and high-dose SHP. SHP was given by gavages 5 times a week for 8 weeks. Serum, livers and HSCs were assayed for serology, pathology, western blot, zymography and quantitative RT-PCR. Hepatic function improved as decreased serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and collagen deposition and active HSCs were significantly reduced in CCl4-induced liver by SHP treatment. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) mRNA in fibrotic liver showed significant downregulation after SHP treatment. In vitro, inhibition of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) expression and MMP-2 secretion of active HSCs were also noticed by SHP treatment. SHP has an antifibrotic effect on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Anti-fibrotic mechanisms were probably inhibiting activation of HSCs and decreased expression of MMP-2 and TGF-beta1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Education and Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 40705, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ching-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Nai-Nu
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yen-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Lung-Yuan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hsiao-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Wen-Jane
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwong-Chung
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: Yung-Tsung
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chiun
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000032:analysis; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D011208:Powders; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D011208:Powders; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat