Published online Feb 27, 2024. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i2.264
Peer-review started: October 18, 2023
First decision: December 26, 2023
Revised: January 9, 2024
Accepted: February 1, 2024
Article in press: February 1, 2024
Published online: February 27, 2024
Processing time: 132 Days and 2.2 Hours
Liver fibrosis is a formidable global medical challenge, with no effective clinical treatment currently available. Yinhuang granule (YHG) is a proprietary Chinese medicine comprising Scutellariae Radix and Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. However, its pharmacological mechanism is still unclear.
To investigate the potential of YHG in alleviating liver fibrosis in mice.
To investigate the potential of YHG against liver fibrosis in mice through in vivo and in vitro experiments.
Liver fibrosis model mice were generated by intraperitoneal injections of 2 mL/kg of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) twice a week for 4 wk. Liver fibrosis mice in the low dose of YHG (0.4 g/kg) and high dose of YHG (0.8 g/kg) groups were orally administered YHG once a day for 4 wk. Serum alanine/aspartate aminotransferase activity and liver hydroxyproline content were detected. Sirius red and Masson's trichrome staining assay were conducted. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, western-blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were conducted. Liver glutathione content, superoxide dismutase activity level, reactive oxygen species and protein carbonylation amount were detected.
YHG ameliorated hepatocellular injury and liver fibrosis in CCl4-treated mice. YHG inhibited hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation, alleviated oxidative stress, inhibited inflammation, and promoted mitochondrial biogenesis.
YHG effectively attenuates CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting the activation of HSCs, reducing inflammation, alleviating liver oxidative stress damage through Nrf2 activation, and promoting liver mitochondrial biogenesis.
Further investigation into the mechanism of YHG against liver fibrosis is necessary.