Abstract
The antifibrotic effect of the methanol extract from Polygonum aviculare (PA), Artemisia capillaris (AC) and an aqueous solution of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB) on liver fibrosis were studied. Liver fibrosis was induced by a bile duct ligation and scission (BDL/S) operation, duration of 4 weeks in rats. In BDL/S rats, the levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin in serum and hydroxyproline content in liver dramatically increased. The PA treatment in BDL/S rawts reduced the serum AST, ALT and ALP levels significantly (p<0.01). Liver hydroxyproline content in PA treated BDL/S group was also reduced to 40% that of BDL/S control group (p<0.01). The morphological characteristics of fibrotic liver, which appeared in BDL/S control group were improved in the PA treated BDL/S group. But neither AC nor DDB treatment improved any parameters in fibrotic rats induced by BDL/S. These results indicate that PA has an antifibrotic effect on fibrotic rats induced by BDL/S.
