Effects of Yanggan Lidan Granule on rate of gallstone formation and content of plasma cholecystokinin in guinea pigs with induced cholesterol gallstones

Abstract

To explore the effects of Yanggan Lidan Granule (YGLDG), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for nourishing liver and improving choleresis, on the rate of gallstone formation and content of plasma cholecystokinin in guinea pigs with induced cholesterol gallstones. Eighty guinea pigs were randomly divided into 4 groups, which were normal control group, untreated group, YGLDG-treated group and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)-treated group (n=20). Except the normal control group, gallstones were induced by high-cholesterol diet in the guinea pigs. YGLDG (1.81 g/kg daily) and UDCA (30.12 mg/kg daily) were given orally to guinea pigs in the corresponding group respectively for seven weeks; however, the guinea pigs of normal control group and untreated group were administered with normal saline. The physical signs of the guinea pigs and the rates of gallstone formation were examined, and the content of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the plasma was detected by radio-immunoassay. YGLDG could obviously improve the ethological signs of the guinea pigs. Gallstone formation rate of the untreated group (82.35%) was significantly increased as compared with that of the normal control group (5.26%) (P<0.01), while the gallstone formation rates of the YGLDG-treated group (27.28%) and UDCA-treated group (38.89%) were lower than that of the untreated group (P<0.05). The content of CCK in plasma of the untreated group was significantly lower than that of the normal control group (P<0.01), while CCK content of the YGLDG-treated group and UDCA-treated group was lower than that of the normal control group, but both of them were significantly higher than that of the untreated group (P<0.01). The difference of CCK levels between YGLDG-treated group and UDCA-treated group had no statistical significance (P>0.05). YGLDG can significantly decrease the rate of gallstone formation in guinea pigs. It may be related to elevating the content of CCK in the plasma.