title: Prevention of gallstones by Lidan Granule: Insight into underlying mechanisms using a guinea pig model.
abstract: The aim of the study was to examine the mechanism of action of Lidan Granule (LDG) for the prevention of gallstones using a guinea pig model. One hundred guinea pigs were divided into five groups randomly: control (standard diet and saline), model [lithogenic diet (LD) and saline], LDG-H (LD and 2 g/kg of LDG), LDG-L (LD and 1 g/kg of LDG), and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) (LD and UDCA) as the positive control. At 6 weeks, the rate of gallstone formation and weight of the adrenal gland were recorded and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured. Levels of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the hypothalamus, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the hypophysis, and serum cortisol were determined. Bile components were tested with colorimetry. At 6 weeks, the rate of gallstone formation was significantly decreased in the LDG-H (14.29%) and LDG-L (21.43%) groups compared to the model group (81.25%; P<0.01). LDG treatment decreased the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (P<0.01). LDG decreased bile cholesterol and increased bile acid and phospholipid levels in the bile (P<0.01). LDG treatment recovered the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by increasing the expression of CRH (P<0.01) and ACTH (P<0.05). LDG made the bile less lithogenic, improved the function of the HPA axis, and regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines for the prevention of cholelithiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yijie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: DU
authors.affiliation: General Surgery, Dong'e People's Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong 252200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: General Surgery, Dong'e People's Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong 252200, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Weiyi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Baojun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jingcheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200062, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ningxia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China; Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200062, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hongying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: Lidan Granule; hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; inflammation; pigment gallstones