Herbal supplement attenuation of cardiac fibrosis in rats with CCl₄-induced liver cirrhosis

Chin J Physiol. 2014 Feb 28;57(1):41-7. doi: 10.4077/CJP.2014.BAB147.

Abstract

Previously we found carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) induced cirrhosis associated cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis. The purpose of this study is to determine whether further CCl₄ treatment would induce cardiac cell fibrosis. The cardiac tissues were analyzed by H&E. histological staining, Trichrome Masson staining and Western blotting. The results showed that the CCl₄-treated-only group exhibits more trichrome staining, meaning that more fibrosis is present. Moreover, CCl₄ could further induce cardiac-fibrosis via TGF-β-p-Smad2/3-CTGF pathway. However, our data showed that the CCl₄- indcued cardiac abnormalities were attenuated by Ocimum gratissimum extract (OGE) and silymarin co- treatments. In conclusion, our results indicated that the OGE and silymarin may be a potential traditional herb for the protection of cardiac tissues from the CCl4 induced cirrhosis associated cardiac fibrosis through modulating the TGF-β signaling pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbon Tetrachloride / toxicity
  • Connective Tissue Growth Factor / physiology
  • Fibrosis
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / chemically induced
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / pathology
  • Male
  • Myocardium / pathology*
  • Ocimum*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Silymarin / therapeutic use*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / physiology

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Silymarin
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • Connective Tissue Growth Factor
  • Carbon Tetrachloride