Experimental study on Eight Zhes Decoction in the treatm ent of nonalcoholic fatty liver fibrosis

Objective To study the therapeutic effect of Eight Zhes Decoction(EZD) on nonalcoholic fatty liver fibrosis(NASF) in mice model. Methods Thirty-two male C57 BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, EZD high dose group and EZD low dose group. The control group mice were fed with methionine-choline-supplemented diet(MCS), while the other groups with methionine and choline deficient(MCD) diet and repeated injection of carbon tetrachloride(CCl₄) once a week. On the first day of the third week, the EZD group were intragastric administrated by EZD, and at the end of the sixth week, all the experimental mice were sacrificed, the serums and liver were collected. The histological analysis was conducted by HE staining, oil red O staining and Sirius red staining. The hepatic alpha smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. In addition, serum liver function and liver triglyceride levels were measured. Results Compared with the control group, the activities of ALT, AST and TBil in serum and the triglyceride content in liver of model group mice were significantly increased(all P<0.01),which were significant reduced in the EZD group(all P<0.01). Compared with the control group, liver tissue in model group showed obvious inflammation and increased the areas of oil red O-positive staining, Masson collagen staining(all P<0.01), which were significant reduced in the EZD group(all P<0.01). In addition, model group expressed higher level of α-SMA protein(P<0.01), which were reduced in the EZD group(P<0.01). Conclusion Eight Zhes Decoction could prevent liver fibrosis in mice model of NASF. The underlying mechanism might partially lie in inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells and collagen production.