RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of tea polyphenol (TP)'s on liver fibrosis in rats and its possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Rats were divided into 5 groups, 4 groups of which were stomach perfused with alcohol resulting in alcoholic liver fibrosis, and 3 groups of which were stomach perfused with TP simultaneously. Another group was normal control one. Histological change of rat liver was investigated and quantitative analysis was made in 24 weeks, and rat liver anti-oxidation index and serum endotoxin were determined at the same time.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Liver fibrosis in TP group was slight, and anti-oxidize index and endotoxin level were markedly improved in comparison with those of alcohol groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Tea polyphenol can protect hepatocytes from fibrosis. Its mechanism is possibly due to cleaning up overfull lipid per-oxidation and reducing the level of endotoxin.</p>