Abstract：Objective To study the effects of Yufengningxin dropping pills(radix puerariae) and fermented cordyceps powder on hepatic fibrosis in rats,and to investigate the possible mechanism for their effects.Methods Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,radix puerariae group and cordyceps powder group.Hepatic fibrosis was induced by subcutaneous injection of 40% carbon tetrachloride twice a week for 6 weeks.The effects of Yufengningxin dropping pills and fermented cordyceps powder on liver function,liver fibrosis and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1) were evaluated after intragastric administration of Yufengningxin dropping pills and fermented cordyceps powder for 6 weeks.Results Yufengningxin dropping pills and fermented cordyceps powder significantly decreased the degree of liver fibrosis in rats with hepatic fibrosis.Compared with model group,Yufengningxin dropping pills obviously improved the levels of hyaluronic acid(HA),procollagen type Ⅲ(PC-Ⅲ),type IV collagen(IV-C) and laminin(LAM),aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and albumin(ALB)(P<0.05 or 0.01),but did not changed the levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and TIMP-1(P>0.05).However,fermented cordyceps powder significantly improved the levels of HA,PC-Ⅲ,IV-C,LAM,ALT,AST,ALB and TIMP-1 compared with model group(P<0.01).Conclusion Yufengningxin dropping pills and fermented cordyceps powder can treat hepatic fibrosis through different mechanisms in rats.
2012, Vol. 5 
