Anti-hepatofibrosis effect ofAllium senescensin activated hepatic stellate cells and thioacetamide-induced fibrosis rat model

Abstract

Context:Allium senescens Linn. (Liliaceae) (ASL) has been traditionally used in Korea and other Asian countries for improving digestive and liver functions.Objective: The anti-hepatofibrosis effect of ASL ethanol extract in cellular and experimental fibrosis rat model was investigated.Materials and methods:In vitro cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were studied using MTT assay, flow cytometry and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Thioacetamide (TAA; 200 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced liver fibrosis model using Sprague Dawley rats (n = 10) was developed in vivo by injecting TAA twice per week for 13 weeks. ASL (25 and 100 mg/kg) and silymarin (50 mg/kg) were administered through oral gavage 2 times per week from 7th to 13th week. Specific fibrotic-related biomarkers such as aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), glutathione and hydroxyproline levels in serum were analyzed by spectrophotometer using commercial kits. Morphological, histopathological and fibrotic-related gene expression such as TGF-β, Col1α1 and α-SMA in liver tissues was estimated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, Picrosirius red stain and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively.Results: ASL (0.1 mg/mL) and silymarin (0.05 mg/mL) treatment induced apoptosis (4.06% and 8.67%) in activated HSC-T6 cells, compared with control group (3.7%). The altered morphology in activated primary HSCs was also restored by ASL (0.1 mg/mL) treatment. Further, ASL (100 and 25 mg/kg) ameliorated the TAA-induced altered fibrotic-related biomarkers, histopathological changes and fibrotic-related gene expression significantly (p < 0.05 ∼ p < 0.001).Conclusions: ASL can potentially be developed as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis.

Effect of hepato-toxins in the acceleration of hepatic fibrosis in hepatitis B mice

“…In the fibrotic liver, collagen is found to be expressed more due to the activated HSCs, but this will change to highly proliferative quiescent cells, followed by the deposition of collagen type I, which contains high amounts of fibrotic matrixes. This accumulated fibrotic matrix collagen can be quantified using the hydroxyproline assay [52][53][54]. Our study revealed that the HBV+TAA/EtOH group showed increased accumulation of collagen, while the high-dose-administered mouse group showed high expression.…”

Anti-Proliferative Effect of Allium senescens L. Extract in Human T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells

“…For example, it is reported that bulbs of A. sativum contain hundreds of phytochemicals including sulfur-containing compounds such as ajoenes ( E -ajoene, Z -ajoene), thiosulfinates (allicin), vinyldithiins (2-vinyl-(4H)-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-(4H)-1,2-dithiin), sulfides (diallyl disulfide (DADS), diallyl trisulfide (DATS), and others that accounted for 82% of the overall garlic sulfur content [ 4 ]. Though Shin et al reported several distinct peaks including p -coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, and rutin as major peaks compared with their respective standards in the HPLC analysis of A.S., the chemical composition and the biological effect of other Allium species have not been adequately investigated in different diseases [ 6 ].…”

“…Allium senescens L. (A.S.) also has been used as a diuretic, antidote, digestive, antiparasitic, and analgesic agent using the stems and leaves in herbal and folk remedies [ 5 ]. Though it was reported that A.S. can potentially be developed as therapeutic agents in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis [ 6 ], little is known about the bioactivity of A.S. against other diseases such as cancer.…”

An update on animal models of liver fibrosis

“…But intraperitoneal injection provides more consistent results. Many researches have used Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats to induce liver fibrosis by intraperitoneal injection of TAA at a dose of 200 mg/kg twice a week for 12–13 weeks ( 30 , 31 ). Matsuo et al ( 12 ) used healthy macaca fascicularis to induce fibrosis model, dissolving TAA in normal saline and administrated three times a week at a dose of 100 mg/kg, and obtained that the TAA-induced model was superior to the CCl 4 model.…”