Effect of gypenosides on DMN-induced liver fibrosis in rats

Abstract

To study the effect of gypenosides on DMN-induced liver fibrosis in rats. A rat liver fibrosis model was established by injecting DMN intraperitoneally. Four weeks later, model rats were randomly devided into three groups: the model group, the gypenosides treated group (200 mg x kg(-1)) and the colchicine treated group (0.1 mg x kg(-1)), with 10 specimens for each group. After a 2-week treatment, following parameters were observed: (1) last body weight, weight ratio between liver and spleen; (2) content of liver hydroxyproline (Hyp); (3) activity of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT), content of albumin (Alb) and total bilirubin( TBiL) in serum; (4) liver pathology (Sirius red staining and HE staining); (5) activity of liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reduced (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and content of liver maleic dialdehyde (MDA). There were classic liver cirrhosis pathological changes in model groups. Compared with the normal group, liver Hyp content, activity of serum ATL, AST, gamma-GT and content of serum TBiL, MDA of model groups significantly increased; content of serum Alb and liver GSH, activity of liver SOD and GSH-Px decreased significantly in model groups. In comparison with the model group, liver cirrhosis remarkable improved in the gypenosides group, content of liver Hyp reduced significantly (P < 0.01), which was equal to the colchicine group. Compared with the model group, liver function parameters improved markedly in the gypenosides group; liver SOD and GSH-Px activities significantly increased; MDA content reduced significantly (P < 0.05). Gypenosides shows an effect in treating DMN-induced liver fibrosis in rats.