Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Complexity System, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
The MOE Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Sci Rep. 2018 Oct 18;8(1):15367. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-33669-4.
Yinchenhao decoction (YCHD), comprising Yinchenhao (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba), Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus) and Dahuang (Radix Rhei et Rhizoma), is widely used for treating various diseases. We aimed to investigate the bile acid metabolic mechanism of YCHD in dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver fibrosis model. Rats received DMN (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) for four successive weeks for liver fibrosis induction and were treated with YCHD for the last 2 weeks. Histopathological analysis showed that YCHD prevented DMN-induced histopathological changes in liver tissues. Serum liver function in YCHD group improved. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that YCHD significantly restored both free and conjugated bile acid levels increased by DMN, to normal levels. RT-qPCR results showed that YCHD treatment upregulated the expression of genes related to bile acid synthesis, reabsorption, and excretion. Western blotting analysis showed that YCHD downregulated α-SMA, TGF-β1, p-Smad3, and p-ERK1/2 expression in chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA)-activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The viability of CDCA-activated HSCs significantly increased after treatment with YCHD and PD98059 (an ERK inhibitor) compared to YCHD treatment alone. Our findings suggest that YCHD alleviated DMN-induced liver fibrosis by regulating enzymes responsible for bile acid metabolism. Additionally, it inhibits CDCA-induced HSC proliferation and activation via TGF-β1/Smad/ERK signalling pathway.
茵陈蒿汤(YCHD)由茵陈蒿(Artemisia scopariae Herba)、栀子(Gardeniae fructus)和大黄(Radix rhei et rhizoma)组成,广泛用于治疗各种疾病。我们旨在研究 YCHD 在二甲基亚硝胺(DMN)诱导的肝纤维化模型中的胆汁酸代谢机制。大鼠接受 DMN(10mg/kg,腹腔内)连续 4 周用于肝纤维化诱导,并在最后 2 周用 YCHD 治疗。组织病理学分析表明,YCHD 可预防 DMN 诱导的肝组织的组织病理学变化。YCHD 组的血清肝功能得到改善。超高效液相色谱-质谱分析表明,YCHD 可显著恢复 DMN 升高的游离和结合胆汁酸水平,使其恢复正常。RT-qPCR 结果表明,YCHD 治疗可上调与胆汁酸合成、重吸收和排泄相关的基因的表达。Western blot 分析表明,YCHD 可下调 CDCA 激活的肝星状细胞(HSCs)中 α-SMA、TGF-β1、p-Smad3 和 p-ERK1/2 的表达。与单独用 YCHD 处理相比,YCHD 和 PD98059(ERK 抑制剂)处理后 CDCA 激活的 HSCs 的活力显著增加。我们的研究结果表明,YCHD 通过调节胆汁酸代谢相关的酶来缓解 DMN 诱导的肝纤维化。此外,它通过 TGF-β1/Smad/ERK 信号通路抑制 CDCA 诱导的 HSC 增殖和激活。