Abstract
Objective : The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effect of lnjinchunggantang-derivative on acute and sub-acute hepatic fibrosis induced by $CCl_4$, and to compare the efficiency of lnjinchunggantang-derivative, Salviae Radix and Scirpi Tuber.Zeloariae Rhizoma on acute and sub-acute hepatic fibrosis induced by $CCl_4$. Method : Western blotting for collagen type N, quantitative RT-PCR and gross & histological findings on liver tissue (Hematoxylin & Eosin stain, Reticulin stain, Masson-Trichrome stain) were studied. Results : In the study on collagen type N expression, lnjinchunggantangcderivative, Scirpi Tuber.Zeloariae Rhizoma and Salviae Radix showed inhibitory effect in western blotting. In quantitative RT-PCR assay, lnjinchunggantang-derivative showed inhibitory effect on collagen type N expression in acute hepatic fibrosis model, whereas lnjinchunggantang-derivative, Scirpi Tuber.Zeloariae Rhizoma and Salviae Radix showed inhibitory effect on collagen type N expression in sub-acute hepatic fibrosis model. In the gross findings of acute and sub-acute hepatic fibrosis models,lnjinchunggantang-derivative, Salviae Radix and Scirpi Tuber. Zeloariae Rhizoma showed inhibitory effect on hepatic fibrosis in the order. In the histological findings of acute and sub-acute hepatic fibrosis models in Hematoxylin & Eosin, Reticulin and Masson-Trichrome staining, the liver of $CCl_4$-only group showed atrophy and necrotic change with white nodules whereas that of $CCl_4$+ Injinchunggantang-derivative showed no significant histological change with well preservation of the tone of the tissue, and Scirpi Tuber. Zeloariae Rhizoma and Salviae Radix group showed minimal fibrotic changes. In the scoring system of the extent of the inhibition of the hepatic fibrosis, lnjinchunggantang-derivative group showed statistically significant inhibitory effect(p<0.05) whereas Scirpi Tuber.Zeloariae Rhizoma and Salviae Radix group showed no statistically significant effect in the acute hepatic fibrosis model. In the sub-acute hepatic fibrosis model, lnjinchunggantang-derivative, Scirpi Tuber.Zeloariae Rhizoma and Salviae Radix group showed statistically significant effect (p<0.01). Conclusion : These results show that lnjinchunggantang-derivative, Salviae Radix and Scirpi Tuber.Zeloariae Rhizoma have inhibitory effect in the order on hepatic fibrosis induced by $CCl_4$ by suppressing the expression of collagen type N, ultimately preventing liver cirrhosis. To obtain more credible results in this experiment, developement of a new experimental model more similar to human hepatic fibrosis is still needed.
