title: Effect of Chinese herbal compound on liver fibrosis in rabbits with schistosomiasis by B-ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the value of B-ultrasound on the evaluation of the effects of traditional Chinese medicine compound of Radix astragali, Salvia miltiorrhiza and Angelica sinensis, and TCM + praziquantel on liver fibrosis in rabbits with schistosomiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hepatic fibrosis model in rabbits with schistosomiasis was established. The experimental animals (24 rabbits) were randomly divided into four groups (group A, B, C and D, n=6). Group A (control group) was only treated by praziquantel; Group B was treated by mixture of Radix astragali and Salvia miltiorrhiza + praziquantel; Group C was treated by mixture of Radix astragali and Angelica sinensis + praziquantel; Group D was treated by mixture of Radix astragali, Salvia miltiorrhiza and Angelica sinensis + praziquantel. Then B-ultrasonogram was used to evaluate the effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each group showed certain curative effect on liver fibrosis in rabbits with schistosomiasis. The efficacy of group B, C and D was better than group A, and that of group D was the best. The differences in long diameter, thickness diameter, transverse diameter and portal vein inner diameter of liver before and after treatment were statistically significant (P<0.05). The liver function indexes and liver fibrosis indexes were significantly improved after treatment (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mixture of Radix astragali, Salvia miltiorrhiza and Angelica sinensis combined with Western medicine treatment can obviously improve the efficacy on liver fibrosis of schistosomiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonography, Military General Hospital of Beijing PLA, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Lu
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jia-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D029971:Angelica sinensis / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel