Comparative study of the effect of two different herbal compounds on CCl_4 induced liver fibrosis in rats.

To compare the anti-fibrotic effects of two Recipes of commonly used Chinese traditional herbal compounds.Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups:control group(10 rats),model group (20 rats),group treated with compound 861(15 rats)and group treated with compound 961(15 rats).Hepatic fibrosis was induced by carbon tetrachloride(CCl_4)subcutaneous injection for 8 weeks.Herbal compounds 861 and 961 were administered by gastric gavage respectively.At the end of 8 weeks,the gene mRNA level of procollagen Ⅰ,procollagen Ⅲ and transforming growth factor beta one (TGF-β1)and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase one (TIMP-1) was examined by means of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Histopathology of each group was assessed with HE,Masson and Sirus red staining.Compound 861 and 961 could decrease all mRNA level: procollagen Ⅰ,procollagen Ⅲ mRNA level,TGF-β1 and TIMP-mRNA level(P0.01).Compound 861 and Compound 961 could significantly suppress the fibrotic proliferation by pathological assays.It concluded that Compound 861 has the similar antifibotic effect with Compocmd 961.