Effect of total glucosides of paeony on nuclear factor-κB and transforming growth factor β1 in liver tissue of rats with immune hepatic fibrosis

Objective: To investigate effect from total glucosides of paeony on protein expression of nuclear factorκB and transforming growth factor β1 in liver tissue of rats with hepatic fibrosis. Methods: Healthy SD rats were randomly chosen and divided into normal group (group N), model group (group M) and TGP high, medium, low dose treatment group (T1-T3). Except the normal group, all the groups received intraperitoneal injection of porcine serum for modelling, and after 6 w, the treatment group were given different doses of TGP. Rats’ liver tissue received pathological examination to determine the degree of liver fibrosis hyperplasia after 15 w, and Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) as well as Transforming Growth Factor β1 (TGF-β1) protein expression were detected. Results: HE staining and VG staining showed that the degree of liver fibrous tissue hyperplasia in group M was higher, and the state of fibrosis was obviously improved after treatment by TGP. The protein expression of NF-κB and TGF-β1 in M group was significantly increased compared with the N group (19.65 ± 2.53 vs. 1.58 ± 0.73, 24.43 ± 2.32 vs. 2.01 ± 0.56, all P<0.05). The protein expression of NF-κB and TGF-β1 in treatment group were significantly decreased compared with the M group (P<0.05), the difference of which was statistically significant. Conclusion: TGP can significantly improve the liver tissue of rats with immune hepatic fibrosis, reduce the symptoms of liver fibrosis, and can inhibit the protein expression of NF-κB and TGF-β1.