Effects of hepatic stimulator substance, herbal medicine, selenium/vitamin E, and ciprofloxacin on cirrhosis in the rat.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Cirrhosis is a potentially lethal condition for which there is no proven effective therapy. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of hepatic stimulator substance, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, selenium plus vitamin E, and ciprofloxacin treatment on biochemical and histological features of fibrosis in rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)/ethanol-induced cirrhosis.

METHODS

One hundred twenty adult Wistar rats were divided into six study groups (20 rats/group): healthy controls, CCl4/ethanol-injured rats left untreated, and CCl4/ethanol-injured rats treated for 4 weeks with either hepatic stimulator substance, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, a combination of selenium plus vitamin E, or ciprofloxacin. After the 4-week treatment, rats were killed and the following parameters of hepatic fibrosis were determined: hepatic hydroxyproline and proline levels, serum hyaluronic acid concentrations, and histological staining of hepatic tissue.

RESULTS

Hepatic fibrosis was significantly improved in all four treated groups compared with the untreated CCl4/ethanol-injured controls. Improvements were most striking in the groups treated with traditional Chinese herbal medicine and ciprofloxacin.

CONCLUSIONS

The data indicate that hepatic stimulator substance, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, selenium plus vitamin E, and ciprofloxacin significantly decrease the amount of hepatic fibrosis caused by CCl4/ethanol injury in rats.