Qinggan Huoxue Recipe suppresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in alcoholic liver fibrosis through TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Aim: To investigate the mechanism by which Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR) inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in rats with alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF).

Methods: A total of 75 male SD rats were used to induce ALF. Serum biochemical indicators, including alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, laminin and hyaluronidase, were measured.

Chinese medicinal formula, Qinggan Huoxue Recipe protects rats from alcoholic liver disease via the lipopolysaccharide-Kupffer cell signal conduction pathway.

The Chinese medicinal formula, Qinggan (QG) Huoxue (HX) Recipe (R) exerts a range of pharmacological effects, including reversible steatosis, decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation resistance. The aim of the present study was to determine the specific mechanisms of QGHXR hepatoprotection through the lipopolysaccharide-Kupffer cell (LPS-KC) signal conduction pathway in rats with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). ALD rats were exposed to the compound factors, QGR and HXR.

Chinese medicine formula lingguizhugan decoction improves Beta-oxidation and metabolism of Fatty Acid in high-fat-diet-induced rat model of Fatty liver disease.

Lingguizhugan decoction (LGZG), a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been used to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia in recent years, but the related mechanisms underlying the regulation of lipid metabolism by LGZG are not clear yet. Here, we reported the effectiveness and possible mechanisms of LGZG on rats with fatty liver disease induced by high-fat diet (HFD). Our results demonstrated that LGZG significantly attenuated HFD-induced fatty liver disease, as measured by body weight, liver index, epididymal fat pad-body weight ratio (EFP/BW), liver injury, and hepatic triglycerides (TG) probably through increasing serum thyroid hormone levels, improving beta-oxidation (via modulation of TR β 1 and CPT1A expression), metabolism and transport (through modulation of SREBP-1c, ACSL and ApoB100 expression) of fatty acid.

[Regulatory effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe on matrix metalloproteinases of alcoholic liver fibrosis rats].

Objective: To study the action mechanism of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR) and its disassembled recipes for treatment of alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF) by observing their regulation on the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and type 1 tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1).

Methods: 130 male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank control group (n=10), the CCI4 group (n=10), and the modeling group (n=110). Rats in the modeling group were intervened by complex factors dominated as alcohol.

Berberine reducing insulin resistance by up-regulating IRS-2 mRNA expression in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rat liver.

This study was performed to investigate the molecular mechanism and the therapeutic effect of berberine on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Rat models were given a high-fat diet (42% kcal) until they developed NAFLD, then were given normal saline (n=10), berberine (n-=10) at 187.5mg/kg/day, or pioglitazone (n=10) at 10.

[Relationship between the phenotypes and functions of peripheral blood dendritic cells and the different spleen deficiency syndrome types in patients with chronic hepatitis B].

Objective: To study the phenotypes and functions of dendritic cells (DCs) derived from peripheral blood monocytes of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome types, and to explore the relationship between TCM syndrome type and DC functions.

Methods: Sixty CHB patients were included in this study. All the CHB patients were divided into spleen deficiency and liver stagnation, spleen deficiency and dampness-heat and deficiency of both spleen and kidney groups according to TCM syndrome diagnosis standard.

[Effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe and its separated recipes on urokinase-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 fibrinolytic system in rats with alcoholic liver fibrosis].

Objective: To study the action mechanisms of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and its separated recipes by observing their effects on expressions of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in rats with alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF).

Methods: A total of 150 SD rats were divided into three groups: blank group, carbon tetrachloride (C(4)) group and ALF-inducing group. Rats in the ALF-inducing group were administered with a mixture diet (56% alcohol 10 mL/kg, corn oil 2 mL/kg, pyrazole 25 mg/kg) once daily and intraperitoneally injected with 0.

[Distribution pattern of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in 793 patients with fatty liver disease].

Objective: To study the distribution pattern of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in fatty liver disease.

Methods: A multicenter and large sample survey was carried out by adopting the model of "combining disease with syndrome". A TCM syndrome information database was established by EPidata 3.

[Effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe and its separated recipes on the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in rats with alcoholic liver injury].

Objective: To study the effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR), the compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and its separated recipes on the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA and serum TNF-alpha content in rats with alcoholic liver injury (ALI).

Methods: One hundred male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (n=10), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) group (n=10) and ALI group (n=80). Rats in the ALI group were intragastrically administered mixed liquor twice a day and intraperitoneally injected with CCl4 twice a week for 6 weeks, rats in the normal control group were intragastrically administered normal saline, and rats in the CCl4 group were intraperitoneally injected with CCl4 and olive oil twice a week continuously.

[Effects of puerarin on expressions of leptin receptor mRNA, phosphorylated Janus kinase 2/phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 proteins in the liver of rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver].

Objective: To observe the effects of puerarin on the expressions of leptin receptor mRNA and phosphorylated Janus kinase 2 / phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (P-JAK2/P-STAT3) proteins in the liver of rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD).

Methods: A rat model of NAFLD was successfully established by feeding high-fat diet. All SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group, untreated group, simvastatin-treated group and puerarin-treated group.

Effectiveness of Danning Tablet in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver of damp-heat syndrome type: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Danning Tablet (DNT) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) of damp-heat syndrome type.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded and positive drug parallel controlled trial was performed. One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled into the study and divided into two groups: DNT-treated group (n=102) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)-treated group (n=33).

[Effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe and its decomposed formulas on CD14, Toll like receptor 4 and nuclear factor-kappaB expressed by Kupffer cells].

Objective: To investigate the effects of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR), a compound Chinese herbal medicine, and its decomposed formulas Qinggan Recipe (QGR) and Huoxue Recipe (HXR) on expressions of CD14, Toll like receptor 4 (TLR(4)) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in Kupffer cells.

Methods: The isolated primary rat Kupffer cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for a certain period of time, a series of concentrations of drug-containing serums of QGHXR and its decomposed formulas were added, the expressions of NF-kappaB, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), CD14, and TLR(4) of the Kupffer cells were detected in different culture conditions by using Western blot, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and ELISA methods respectively.

Results: QGR could down-regulate the expression of membrane receptor CD14, but the expression of NF-kappaB and TNF-alpha were not significantly decreased after QGR treatment.