Objective: Liver fibrosis is a frequently occurring liver injury which lacks of effective treatment clinically. Here, we investigated the protective effects of a novel compound Gorse isoflavone alkaloid (GIA) against liver fibrosis.
Methods: Totally forty rats were randomly divided into four groups. Then we established a model of liver fibrosis induced by the intragastric administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). This treated group was followed by the intragastric administration of GIA and colchicine. Then the liver index and spleen index, and liver function indexes were detected by kit. Western blotting assay was performed to estimate the expression of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and related proteins. Tissue fibrosis was observed by Masson staining.
Results: Our results suggested that GIA reduced the deposition of collagen fibres and the fibrosis index hydroxyproline (Hyp) of liver tissue. Furthermore, we found that GIA significantly decreased the expression of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and the ratio of p-smad2/3 to smad2/3, enhanced the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and decreased the concentration of malonic dialdehyde (MDA) in the liver.
Conclusions: Our findings revealed that GIA has a beneficial effect to resist the liver fibrosis, and could be ideal for potential use in antifibrotic drugs for the liver.
Keywords: HSC; Liver fibrosis; TGF-β1; TGF-β1/Smad2/3; extracellular matrix.
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