Influences of Huangqi( Radix Astragali seu Hedysari) on expressions of TIMP-1 and MMP-1 in liver tissues in rats with liver fibrosis

Objective To observe the influences of Huangqi( Radix Astragali seu Hedysari) on serum liver fibrosis markers and expressions of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1( TIMP-1) and matrix metalloproteinase-1( MMP-1) in liver tissues in rat model of immune liver fibrosis induced by pig serum. Methods Wistar rats( n = 40) were randomly divided into normal group,model group,Huangqi group and colchicinum group. Excepting normal group,other groups were injected intraperitoneally sterile pig blood twice a week for 12 weeks. Meanwhile,normal group and model group were intragastrically given distilled water every day,and other groups were intragastrically given corresponding drugs. The changes of liver function,liver fibrosis markers including serum hyaluronic acid( HA),laminin( LN),collagen Ⅳ( C Ⅳ) and pro-collagen Ⅲ( PC Ⅲ),and TIMP-1 and MMP-1 levels were detected by using biochemical assay,radioimmunoassay and ELISA. Results The levels of serum HA and C Ⅳ,and level of TIMP-1 decreased significantly,and the level of MMP-1 in increased significantly in Huangqi group compared with those in model group( P 0. 01). Conclusion Huangqi can effectively reduce the levels of serum indexes of liver fibrosis,and remarkably ameliorate the degree of liver fibrosis. The mechanism may be related to that it can increase MMP-1 expression, decrease TIMP-1 expression, improve extracellular matrix( ECM) degradation and decrease ECM synthesis,so as to suppress the accumulation of ECM and ameliorate the fibrosis degree of liver tissues.