| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 傳統醫藥學研究所 === 90 === The Chinese herb, Salvia miltiorrhiza (Sm), has been shown to reduce hepatic fibrosis in rats. In this study, we investigated the effects of Sm in an experimental model of hepatic fibrosis and evaluated their effects on TGFb-1, procollagens I、III genes involved in hepatic fibrogenesis. Hepatic fibrosis was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats (250~300 g) by common bile duct ligation (CBDL). Sham-operated (Sham) rats served as control.
In part I of this study, the expression of TGFb-1, procollagens I、III mRNA was then investigated in the CBDL and Sham group at 1 day and 1, 2, 4, 6 weeks after CBDL. In part II study, effects of herbs on TGFb-1, procollagens I、III mRNA expressions in CBDL rats were investigated. The livers were analyzed by RT-PCR for the transcription of genes involved in liver fibrosis. The transcripts were normalized against that of G3PDH and analyzed statistically. There were two separate animal experimental protocols in part II study: (1) Sm crude extract study, and (2) Sm partially purified extract study. The active compound salvianolic acid B was about 80% in Study (2) and about 3%in Study (1). There were five groups in Sm crude extract study: Sham group, CBDL group, CBDL-silymarin (30 mg/kg), CBDL-low dose of Sm crude extract (30 mg/kg) and CBDL-high dose of Sm crude extract (100 mg/kg) for 4 weeks after bile duct ligation. There were six groups in Sm partially purified extract study: Sham group, Sham -high dose of Sm partially purified extract (100 mg/kg), CBDL group, CBDL-silymarin (100 mg/kg), CBDL-low dose of Sm partially purified (20 mg/kg) and CBDL-high dose of Sm partially purified extract (100 mg/kg) for 4 weeks after bile duct ligation. The results showed that TGFb-1 mRNA expression was induced in CBDL rats and procollagens I、III mRNA were up-regulated after CBDL. The results of animal experimental study showed that neither silymarin (30 mg/kg) nor Sm crude extract treatments could significantly reduce the expression of TGFb-1, procollagens I、III mRNA. On the other hand, we found that silymarin (100 mg/kg) and Sm partially purified extract could significantly reduce the expression of procollagens I、III mRNA, but had no effect on TGFb-1 mRNA expression at 4 weeks after CBDL.
In conclusion, mRNA expression of TGFb-1, procollagens I、III was found increased in CBDL rats. We also found Sm crude extract and silymarin (30 mg/kg) could not reduce hepatic fibrosis in CBDL rats, and that Sm partially purified extract, which contained higher content of salvianolic acid B, and silymarin (100 mg/kg) could reduce procollagens mRNA expression and ameliorate hepatic fibrosis in CBDL rats.
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