Efficacy of Chinese medicine Yi-gan-kang granule in prophylaxis and treatment of liver fibrosis in rats.

AIM To investigate the efficacy of a Chinese medicine, Yi-gan-kang granule (granules for benefiting the liver), in prophylaxis and treatment of liver fibrosis in rats and its possible mechanism. METHODS One hundred and forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups (20 each): group 1, blank control group without any interference during the study; group 2, CCl4-induced liver fibrosis group; group 3, pig serum-induced liver fibrosis group; group 4, prophylaxis group of CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by Yi-gan-kang; group 5, prophylaxis group of pig serum-induced liver fibrosis by Yi-gan-kang; group 6, treatment group of CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by Yi-gan-kang; group 7, treatment group of CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by Yi-gan-kang. At wk 6, 10, 14 and 20 (baseline for CCl4 or big serum induction), five rats in each group were anesthetized and their livers were removed for pathological studies including immunohistochemical studies for alpha-SMA, type I collagen and in situ hybridization of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) mRNA of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Anti-lipid peroxidation in isolated mitochondria and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay for proliferation and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-medicated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL), flow cytometry and electron microscopy for apoptosis in isolated HSCs were also studied. RESULTS The mean number of pseudolobuli at wk 10, 14 and 20 in the prophylaxis group was significantly less than that in the control group (P<0.05 or 0.01). The effect of prophylaxis at wk 14 in CCl4 rats and at wk 10 in pig serum-induced rats was much better than that of treatment group (P<0.01). The thickness (in microm) of fibers both in pig serum-induced prophylaxis and in treatment groups at wk 14 and 20 was significantly less than that in control group (P<0.05). The number of fibers both in prophylaxis and in treatment groups from wk 10 or 14 to 20 was significantly less than that in control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The tissue HSC positive rates of type I collagen, alpha-SMA and TIMP-1 mRNA, which represented the active phenotype of HSCs in tissues, remained very high from wk 6 to the end of model making in control group. While in prophylaxis group, they were at a relatively low level. In treatment group, there was a gradual decreasing trend. Time- and dose-dependent effects of anti-lipid peroxidation on isolated mitochondria, cell proliferation and apoptosis in cultured HSCs were also observed during the study. CONCLUSION Yi-gan-kang can effectively inhibit or inverse the course of liver fibrogenesis in CCl4- and pig serum-induced rat models.