Abstract

 
 
 
 Purpose: To study the effect of Rhus chinensis Mill. extract (RCME) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cirrhosis in rats.
 Methods: RCME was obtained by extracting the dried Rhus chinensis Mill. in water. Liver cirrhosis rat model was prepared by injecting with DEN once a week for 8 weeks. After 8th-week of RCME treatment, biochemical index and oxidative stress were determined in DEN-induced liver cirrhosis in rats.
 Results: Compared with model group, plasma concentrations of alanine transaminase (ALT, 125.3 ± 4.1 U/L) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST, 152.4 ± 3.5 U/L) decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in the 8th week. Rhus chinensis Mill. extract (RCME) significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA, 0.18 ± 0.02 umol/L) and superoxide dismutase (SOD, 0.76 ± 0.05 U/mg protein) in DEN-induced liver cirrhosis in rats (p < 0.01) when compared with model group.
 Conclusion: RCME protects against diethylnitrosamine-induced liver cirrhosis in rats. However, further investigations are required to ascertain the plant extract’s suitability for the clinical management of liver cirrhosis.
 
 
 
Highlights
Liver fibrosis is a multi-step process resulting from various factors such as viral hepatitis, alcohol abuse, biliary atresia and hepatotoxins
The increase of ALT and AST was ameliorated by Rhus chinensis Mill. extract (RCME)
This study showed that the MDA level was significantly increased in DEN-treated rats (p < 0.01, which was significantly inhibited by RCME treatment (p < 0.01)
Summary
Liver fibrosis is a multi-step process resulting from various factors such as viral hepatitis, alcohol abuse, biliary atresia and hepatotoxins. It has been found that DEN-induced liver cirrhosis in rats is similar to those of human cirrhosis [4,5]. In the prevention of liver cirrhosis [12], this study was performed to study the effect of Rhus chinensis Mill. The rat experiment was approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Xiamen Haicang Hospital Liver cirrhosis model were prepared by injecting with DEN (60 mg/kg) in rats once a week for 8 weeks. At the 4th and 8th weeks of treatment, blood samples (0.5 mL) of rats were collected by moving the eyeball. Serum levels of ALT and AST were measured using spectrophotometry, using commercially available kits (Nanjing Jiancheng Bioengineering Institute). Differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05
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