In vivo effects of Chinese herbal recipe, Danshaohuaxian, on apoptosis and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells in hepatic fibrotic rats

AIM: To investigate the effects of Danshaohuaxian (DSHX),a Chinese herbal recipe, on the apoptosis and cell cycles of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in rat hepatic fibrosis and its possible mechanisms.METHODS: Seventy-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, hepatic fibrosis group,non-DSHX-treated group and DSHX-treated group. Except for the normal control group, rat hepatic fibrotic models were induced by subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride(CCl4), drinking alcohol, giving diet of hyperlipid and hypoprotein for 8 wk. When the hepatic fibrotic models were produced, 12 rats of hepatic fibrosis group (15 rats survived, others died during the 8 wk) were sacrificed to collect blood and livers. HSCs were isolated from the other 3 rats to detect the apoptotic index (At) and cell cycles by flow cytometry. DSHX was then given to the DSHX-treated group (1.0 g/kg, PO1 daily) for 8 wk. At the same time, normal control group and non-DSHX-treated group were given normal saline for 8 wk. At end of the experiment, some rats in these three groups were sacrificed to collect blood and livers, the other rats were used for HSC isolation to detect the apoptotic index (AⅠ) and cell cycles. Then the liver index, serum hyaluronic acid (HA) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT),degree of hepatic fibrosis, urinary excretion of hydroxyproline(Hyp) and expression of collagen types Ⅰ and Ⅲ (COL Ⅰ and Ⅲ) in these four groups were detected respectively.RESULTS: Compared with the indexes of the hepatic fibrosis group and non-DSHX-treated group, the DSHX-treated group revealed a liver index of (0.0267±0.0017 vs 0.0423±0.0044, 0.0295±0.0019, P