Therapeutic effect of arctigenin on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of arctigenin(ATG) on liver fibrosis in rats induced by carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)and to explore its underlying mechanism. METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groupsvehicle,ATG 3.0 mg · kg-1 group,CCl4 model group,CCl4+ATG 1.0 and 3.0 mg·kg-1 groups,and CCl4+colchicine(COL)0.1 mg·kg-1(toxicity)group. Liver fibrosis was induced by subcutaneous injection of CCl4 in rats for 8 weeks. ATG and colchicine were administrated ig once a day starting from the fifth week after the CCl4 treatment for 4 weeks subsequent. At the end of the study,glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT),glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT),albumin(ALB),and total bilirubin (TBIL) as well as the contents of hydroxyproline (HYP) in liver tissues were measured. Histopathological changes were observed in the liver tissues using hematoxyline-eosin(HE)and Masson’s trichrome staining. The proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and expression of cell cycle-related proteins were assayed by indirect immunofluores?cence staining and Western blotting,respectively. RESULTS Compared with CCl4 model group,ATG 1.0 and 3.0 mg · kg-1 improved the liver function by decreasing serum contents of GPT,GOT and TBIL (P<0.05),and increasing serum content of albumin(P<0.05). Histological results indicated that ATG 1.0 and 3.0 mg · kg-1 alleviated liver damage and reduced the formation of fibrous septa. Moreover, ATG 1.0 and 3.0 mg · kg-1 significantly decreased liver HYP when compared with CCl4 model group(P<0.05). In addition,CCl4-induced proliferation of activated HSC was inhibited by ATG 1.0 and 3.0 mg·kg-1, and this was accompanied by down-regulation of cyclin D1,cyclin-dependent kinase(CDK)2,CDK4, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)(P<0.05),and up-regulation of p27kip1 in activated HSC (P<0.05). CONCLUSION ATG can alleviate hepatic injury and fibrosis induced by CCl4,which is probably associated with suppression of the proliferation of activated HSC.