Effect of Phlegm-resolving and Stasis-removing Therapy on TGF-β/Smad Signal Pathway in Peritoneal Fibrosis Rats

Objective To explore the effect of phlegm-resolving and stasis-removing therapy on tumor growth factor beta(TGF-β)/Smad signal pathway in peritoneal fibrosis rats.Methods Sixty healthy SD male rats were equally randomized into 5 groups: blank group,model group,western medicine group,high-and low-dose herbal medicine groups.Peritoneal fibrosis rats model was established firstly,and then the rats in the medication groups were given orally high-dose(50 mg·kg-1·d-1)or low-dose(25 mg·kg-1·d-1)herbal medicine with the actions of resolving phlegm and removing stasis,or benazepril(5 mg·kg-1·d-1) respectively.The rats in the model group and the blank group were given orally water for injection,once per day for 4 weeks.Peritoneal tissue was sampled at the end of the experiment.Immunohistochemical assay was used to examine the expression of phosphorylation-Smad2/3,Smad7 and TGF-β1 in the visceral peritoneum.Results Smad7 expression level was increased in high-,low-dose herbal medicine groups and benazepril group,the difference being significant compared with that in the model group(P0.05).Smad2/3 and TGF-β1 expression levels were lower and Smad7 expression level was higher in high-dose herbal medicine group than those in low-dose herbal medicine group and benazepril group(P0.05).Conclusion The preventive and therapeutic mechanism of phlegm-resolving and stasis-removing herbal medicine for peritoneal fibrosis is related with the up-regulation of TGF-β inhibitive signal protein Smad7 expression,and with the down-regulation of TGF-β receptor regulative signal protein Smad2/3 expression.