An experimental study on Eight-Ingredient Decoction of Anti-Fibrosis in treatment of liver fibrosis

Objectives To study the therapeutic effect of Eight-Ingredient Decoction of Anti-Fibrosis on experimental liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride(CC14).Methods Carbon tetrachloride mixed with olive oil was injected intraperitoneally for 16 times to develop the rat model of liver fibrosis.Since the beginning of the model establishment,the rats were administered with a high dose of TCM and a low dose of TCM separately.The effect of decoction on ALT and AST in the rats with hepatic injuries was observed. According to Ishak liver disease pathological changes correction scoring scheme,HE stain,Masson stain and immunohistochemistry stain were used to study the effect of the Eight-Ingredient Decoction of Anti-Fibrosis on rats' liver fibrosis,α-SMA immunohistochemistry stain was used to mark the activating HSC.The probable mechanism of the Eight-Ingredient Decoction of Anti-Fibrosis against liver fibrosis was discussed.Results The AST level in both groups with a high TCM dose and low TCM dose was significantly lower than that in the model control group.Both levels of inflammation and fibrosis in the groups with a high TCM dose and low TCM dose were significantly lower than those of the model control group.The number of α-SMA positive ceils was smaller in the TCM groups than in the model control group.Conclusions The Eight-Ingredient Decoction of Anti-Fibrosis inhibits rat liver fibrosis induced by CCl_4,fiber connective tissue hyperplasia and formation of pseudo-lobe.The mechanism is likely to be the inhibition of hepatic stellate cell activation and collagen synthesis to protect hepatic cells.