[Effects of Ethanol Extracts of Phellinus lonicerinus on Hepatic Stellate Cells of Fibrosis Liver in Rats].

OBJECTIVE

To study the effects of ethanol extracts of Phellinus lonicerinus on hepatic stellate cells of fibrosis liver in rats.

METHODS

The model rats of hepatic fibrosis were established by intraperitoneally injection of CCl₄ olive oil solution at the dose of 2 mL/kg. And then the model rats were administered orally ethanol extract of Phellinus lonicerinus with 1 g/(kg · d) and 0.5 g/( kg · d) for consecutive eight weeks. Serum transforming growth factor-β₁, (TGF-β₁), liver total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase( T-SOD) activity and the content of malondialdehyde ( MDA) were determined. The α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinases-1 (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) were determined by immunohistochemical.

RESULTS

Compared to the model group, the ethanol extracts of Phellinus lonicerinus decreased the content of serum TGF-β₁ and MDA in liver tissue, as well as increased the activity of T-SOD and the level of T-AOC. Immunohistochemical showed that the ethanol extracts of Phellinus lonicerinus downregulated the expression of α-SMA in liver tissue and the expression of TIMP-1, as well as upregulated the expression of MMP-1.

CONCLUSION

The ethanol extracts of Phellinus lonicerinus has good antioxidative activity with application prospects in prevention of hepatic fibrosis. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells induced by oxidative stress,reducing the TGF-β₁, and cytokines activating the hepatic stellate cells,and upregulating the expression of MMP-1 promoting the collagen degradation.