The Effect of kang-xian-er-hao on Expression of Collagen I ,III of Hepatic Fibrosis in Rats

Objective On the basis of clinical practice of treatment for hepatic fibrosis, the mechanism of chinese herbal compound“ kang-xian-er-hao (KXEH)”in treating hepatic fibrosis were further explored and studied. Methods Male wistar rats were divided into five groups. The rat fibrosis model was induced by pig serum,excepted for normal control group(group N),the other four groups were all given intraperitoneal injection of pig serum respectively(0.5ml/once,2 times/week,total 12 weeks). In KXEH early treatment group(group B), the rats were fed with KXEH by gavage, 1g/100 g, once a day at the third week. In KXEH late treatment group(group C) , the rats were fed with KXEH by gavage, 1 g/100g, once a day at the ninth week. In γ-interferon treated group(group D),the rats were subcutaneous injected γ-interferon 10 5 every day at the ninth week .The model group(group A) and group N were fed with the same amount of saline by gavage. Rats were killed at the end of the twelfth week, the pathology of liver fibrosis was observed with HE stain and Masson stain.collagen I mRNA and collagen III mRNA were detected in liver samples with RT-PCR, immunohistochemical observe the expression of collagen I ,III protein. Results Upon pathological examination, the KXEH treatment had significantly reversed pig serum -induced liver fibrosis.In early treatment group B,the KXEH could enhance the degradation of collagen in the rat’s fibrotic liver according to HE and Masson staining compared with the fibrotic model group A(P0.05). Moreover, in KXEH treatment group(B and C), the expression of collagen I ,III and its protein in liver was markedly reduced respectively according to RT-PCR analysis and immunohistochemistry as compared with group A. Conclusion The result showed that pig serum-induced rat hepatic fibrosis can be obviously reversed by the KXEH treatment.The mechanism of treating hepatic fibrosis with KXEH appears to be due to the enhancement of degradation of collagen in liver, then resulted in hepatic fibrosis be reversed eventually. Therefore the treatment of hepatic fibrosis should be as early as possible.