Abstract
Background: Cichorium glandulosum (CG), which is a Compositae family plant, is a commonly used traditional Uighur medicine capable of cleansing liver and being cholagogue, strengthening stomach, promoting digestion, inducing diuresis and reducing edema.
Objectives: To study the liver and spleen indices, the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and the histopathological changes.
Materials and Methods: Rats were intragastrically administered with the extracts of a traditional Uighur medicine Cichorium glandulosum (CG). The expressions of FN, Smard3 IGFBPrPl and TGF-beta 1 were detected.
Results: The liver and spleen indices of the CG-V group were significantly lower than those of the model group (P<0.01). The hepatic fibrosis symptoms of the CG-V and CG-VII groups were significantly relieved, and more FN, Smard3 and IGFBPrPl were expressed than those in the normal group. The expressions of FN, Smard3 and TGF-beta 1 in all treatment groups were significantly higher than those in the normal group, and the expressions in the CG-V and CG-VII groups were significantly different from those in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, the apoptotic index of the model group was significantly higher, but the indices of the CG-V and CG-VII groups were significantly lower than that of the model group (P<0.01).
Conclusions: The extracts of CG probably exerted protective effects by influencing the TGF-beta/Smads signal transduction pathway.