Therapeutic effects of Fuzheng Huayu decoction in different pathological stages CCl4-induced liver cirrhosis rat model and on hepatic stellate cells activation

Objective To evaluate the influence of Fuzheng Huayu decoction on different pathological stages fibrotic liver tissue and activated hepatic stellate cells(HSCs). Methods Use a carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)-induced liver cirrhosis rat model system. The drug intervention was administered via oral-gastric irrigation in building, the end of week 2 and 4. Rats were batch sacrificed at the end of week 2, 4, and 6. Liver fibrosis was evaluated by histology, and expression of a-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) was determined by immunohistochemistry. Between-group comparisons were made by completely random design and ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. Results At the end of weeks 2, 4 and 6, the model group and drug intervention groups had significantly higher area ratio of liver fibrosis and higher expression of α-SMA than the normal group, but the three drug intervention groups had significantly less area ratio of liver fibrosis and less expression of α-SMA than the model group and the drug intervention 1 group showed the most robust decrease(P 0.05). Conclusion The Fuzheng Huayu decoction leads to down-regulated α-SMA expression and reduced degree of liver fibrosis on different pathological stages of fibrotic liver tissue, and the earlier drug intervention, the better the results.