Effects of Chinese herbal medicine Yiguanjian Decoction on collagen metabolism of hepatic tissues in rats with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Yiguanjian Decoction, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on collagen metabolism of hepatic tissues in rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver fibrosis. METHODS: Liver fibrosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of 50% CCl(4)-olive oil solution at a dose of 1 mL/kg body weight, twice per week for 9 consecutive weeks. Six rats were sacrificed for dynamic observation at the end of the 3rd and 6th week respectively, and the other rats were divided into 9-week untreated group and Yiguanjian Decoction group which was given Yiguanjian Decoction intragastrically in the subsequent 3-week modeling period. Another 6 rats were used as normal group. Rats in the normal group and 9-week untreated group were treated with distilled water. At the end of the 9th week, all rats were sacrificed, and their blood serum and liver tissue were collected for measuring hepatic histology and expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, TIMP-2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, MMP-14, collagen type I (Col I), and activities of MMP-2 and -9. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, collagen fiber deposition, expressions of α-SMA, Col I, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, MMP-13 and MMP-14 and activities of MMP-2 and -9 in the liver tissues gradually increased in the untreated group (P<0.05, P<0.01). These changes were significantly suppressed by Yiguanjian Decoction. CONCLUSION: Yiguanjian Decoction exerts inhibition on formation of CCl(4)-induced cirrhosis in rats. The therapeutic mechanism may be related to inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation, collagen secretion, and promoting collagen fiber degradation.