In this study, the effect of AC on liver fibrosis induced by thioacetamide (TAA) in rats was investigated. Hepatic fibrosis was induced by TAA treatment (100-200 mg/kg i.p.) three times a week for 8 weeks. The rats with TAA treatment were separated into groups randomly and administrated with carboxylmethylcellulose and AC (131, 393 mg/kg p.o.) during the experiment period. TAA caused liver damage, as characterized by increase in levels of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyproline, in addition to increase in spleen weights and decrease in plasma albumin level. Compared to TAA group, AC treatment significantly decreased the spleen weight, level of hepatic MDA and hydroxyproline however, the treatment could increase plasma albumin level. The pathological results also showed that AC suppressed hepatic nodular hyperplasia and cholangiofibrosis. In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated that AC retards the progression of liver fibrosis and preneoplastic liver in TAA-treated rats. It may be expected that AC has preventive potential in liver fibrosis and hepatoma.本發明係評估樟芝組合物對硫代乙醯胺(TAA)誘導大鼠肝臟纖維化的效果。大鼠每週三次腹腔注射硫代乙醯胺持續8週,三組大鼠分別給予0.5% CMC和樟芝(131,393 mg/kg)。硫代乙醯胺造成大鼠血漿白蛋白值下降、γ-GT活性上升,並明顯增加脾臟重量和肝臟膠原蛋白含量、減少肝臟蛋白質含量,肝臟glutathione含量下降,及造成脂質過氧化程度上升。樟芝則對硫代乙醯胺所升高的血漿ALT和AST值有明顯降低作用、增加第八週血清白蛋白含量及降低γ-GT活性,以及增加glutathione含量及glutathione peroxidase的活性,和減少脂質過氧化程度。上述結果明確顯示,樟芝組合物能抑制肝臟結節及膽管纖維化的產生,及減輕硫代乙醯胺所誘發的大鼠肝臟纖維化。
