Basic Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 15, 2003; 9(7): 1559-1562
Published online Jul 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i7.1559
Effect of compound rhodiola sachalinensis A Bor on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats and its probable molecular mechanisms
Xiao-Ling Wu, Wei-Zheng Zeng, Pi-Long Wang, Chun-Tao Lei, Ming-De Jiang, Xiao-Bin Chen, Yong Zhang, Hui Xu, Zhao Wang
Xiao-Ling Wu, Pi-Long Wang, Chun-Tao Lei, Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing 400016, China
Wei-Zheng Zeng, Ming-De Jiang, Xiao-Bin Chen, Yong Zhang, Hui Xu, Zhao Wang, Department of Digestion, General Hospital of Chengdu Military Command, Chengdu 610083, Sichuan Province, China Supported by the Tenth-Five Year Plan of Medical Science Foundation of Chengdu Military Command, No. 01A009
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Professor Wei-Zheng Zeng, Department of Digestion, General Hospital of Chengdu Military Command, Chengdu 610083, Sichuan Province, China. zengweizheng@163.com
Telephone: +86-28-86570347
Received: November 6, 2002
Revised: December 4, 2002
Accepted: December 30, 2002
Published online: July 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: To explore the anti-fibrotic effect of a traditional Chinese medicine, compound rhodiola sachalinensis A Bor on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats and its probable molecular mechanisms.

METHODS: Ninety healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal group (n = 10), treatment group of compound rhodiola sachalinensis A Bor (n = 40) and CCl4-induced model group (n = 40). The liver fibrosis was induced by CCl4 subcutaneous injection. Treatment group was administered with compound rhodiola sachalinensis A Bor (0.5 g/kg) once a day at the same time. Then the activities of several serum fibrosis-associated enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (β-NAG) and the levels of serum procollagen III (PC III), collagen IV (C IV), hyaluronic acid (HA) were assayed. The histopathological changes were observed with HE, VG and Masson stain. The expression of TGF-β1 mRNA, α1 (I) mRNA and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) mRNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in situ.

RESULTS: Compound rhodiola sachalinensis A Bor significantly reduced serum activities of ALT, AST, β-NAG and decreased the levels of PC III, C IV, HA, improved the liver histopathological changes, inhibited the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA, α(I) mRNA and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger mRNA in rats.

CONCLUSION: Compound rhodiola sachalinensis A Bor can intervene in CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats, in which potential mechanisms may be decreasing the production of TGF-β1, reducing the production of collagen, preventing the activation of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) and inhibiting the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA, α1(I) mRNA and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger mRNA.

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