[Effect of emodin on development of hepatic fibrosis in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of emodin on the development of hepatic fibrosis in rats. METHODS: Forty percent of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) dissolved in olive oil was injected subcutaneously to rats twice a week, for 6 weeks to produce hepatic fibrosis model, the rats of treated group were simultaneously injected with CCl4, treated with emodin in low, medium and high dose (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg body weight respectively) once a day for 42 days, which was dissolved in 0.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), while for rats of the control group, they only received CCl4 and CMC. Changes of serum hyaluronic acid, laminin and liver hydroxyproline were determined and histopathologic changes of liver was examined by optical microscopy and electronmicroscopy. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, in the emodin treated group: (1) Serum hyaluronic acid and laminin were markedly reduced (P < 0.05 or 0.01); (2) liver hydroxyproline was significantly decreased (P < 0.05 or 0.01); (3) degree of fibrosis was reduced (P < 0.05 or 0.01); (4) hepatocyte injury was ameliorated. CONCLUSION: Emodin has therapeutic effect on the development of hepatic fibrosis in rats. The effect might be related to slowing hepatocyte injury.