Protective effect of total flavones of Bidens pilosa L on experimental liver fibrosis in rats

AIM: To observe the curative effect of total flavones of Bidens pilosa L (TFB) on experimental liver fibrosis in rats. METHODS: Rat liver fibrosis model was established by subcutaneous injection ( s.c. ) of 50% CCl_4 twice a week lasting for 18 weeks. TFB (160, 80, 40 mg·kg~ -1 ) was treated gastrogavage ( i.g. ) daily since the 9th week. The spleen and liver weights were weighed. The contents of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hydroxyproline (Hyp), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in liver tissue were assayed using the corresponding kits. The hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen III (PCⅢ) and CⅣcontents in serum were also assessed by radioimmunoassay. Liver samples collected after experiment were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson and scored. Moreover, electron microscope was used to observe ultramicrosrtucture of the cells in livers. RESULTS: CCl_4 caused liver fibrosis, featuring increases in spleen and liver weights,serum ALT, AST, HA , PCⅢ, CⅣ, and liver MDA and Hyp contents, a decrease in liver GSH-Px activity. Compared with model group, TFB (160, 80 mg·kg~ -1 ) treatment significantly reduced spleen and liver weight, serum ALT, AST, HA , PCⅢ, CⅣ, liver MDA and Hyp content (P 0.01 ). Moreover, TFB 160 or 80 mg·kg~ -1 could increase liver GSH-Px activity (P 0.01 ). Fibrosis changes of liver histology was also improved in TFB (80, 160 mg·kg~ -1 )-treated rats (P 0.05 ). CONCLUSION: TFB significantly reduced CCl_4-induced liver fibrosis in rats, probably through exerting a protective effect by its free-radical scavenging ability.