Therapeutic Potential of Human Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Combination with Silymarin against Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Liver Cirrhosis in Wistar Rats

Background: Self-renewal, active proliferation in vitro, abundant sources for isolation, and a high differentiation capacity, make mesenchymal stem cells to be potentially therapeutic for liver cirrhosis. Aim and Objectives: To evaluate the therapeutic potential of the combination of human Bone Marrow derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (BM-MSC) and silymarin in Carbon tetrachloride (CCl ) induced liver 4 cirrhosis in Wistar rats. Material and Methods: This was an experimental study. Liver cirrhosis was induced in adult female Wistar rats using CCl . Sixty 4 rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: Group 1 (Normal Control Group), Group 2 (received only CCl ), Group 3 (CCl +low dose BM-MSCs), Group 4 4 4 (CCl +high dose BM-MSCs), Group 5 (CCl + 4 4 silymarin), Group 6 (CCl +BM-MSCs+silymarin). On 4 th th th th th day 0 and at the end of 6 , 12 , 18 , 24 and 30 day after treatment, blood samples were collected for liver enzyme estimations. After 30 days of treatment, the rats were sacrificed; livers were excised and used for antioxidant analysis and histopathological studies. Results: Liver enzyme analysis and histopathological studies indicated that combination of BM-MSCs and silymarin was effective in treating liver cirrhosis. Furthermore, oxidative stress was attenuated in the group which received combination treatment of BMMSCs and silymarin. Conclusion: Evidence of this study showed that combination treatment of BMTherapeutic Potential of Human Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Combination with Silymarin against Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Liver Cirrhosis in Wistar Rats 1 2* 3 1 Ashwini P. Aithal , Laxminarayana K. Bairy , Raviraja N. Seetharam , Naveen Kumar Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Manipal University, 2 Manipal-576104 (Karnataka) India, Department of Pharmacology, RAK College of Medical Sciences, 3 RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, Stempeutics Research Pvt. Ltd., Manipal-576104 (Karnataka), India MSCs and silymarin was beneficial and support the potential of using MSCs transplantation as an effective treatment modality for liver cirrhosis.