Astrageloside IV has broad application prospects, especially in cardiovascular diseases, digestive diseases, cancer and other modern high incidence, high-risk diseases, and could be developed as a medicine.

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Fatty liver disease has become a health problem related to metabolic syndrome worldwide, although its molecular pathogenesis requires further study. It is also unclear whether advanced fibrosis of steatohepatitis will regress when diet is controlled. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the resolution of fibrosis occurs in steatohepatitis induced by a methionine-choline-deficient diet (MCDD). Manifestation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in this model was also studied. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with advanced fibrosis was induced in rats by feeding them an MCDD for 10 weeks. Instead of MCDD, a methionine-choline control diet (CD) was given for the last 2 weeks to the experimental group. Fibrosis and inflammation were determined by tissue staining. Protein and gene expressions were determined by immunoblotting and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), respectively. Expressions of caspase-7, caspase-12, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), and protein disulfide isomerase were evaluated to clarify the presence of ER stress. Changing the diet from MCDD to CD triggered the reduction of fat in hepatocytes, a decrease in inflammatory gene expression and oxidative stress, and regression of fibrosis accompanied by the disappearance of activated stellate cells and macrophages. Immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and RT-PCR analysis all indicated the occurrence of ER stress in steatohepatitis, while it recovered immediately after changing the diet from MCCD to CD. The ratio of hepatocyte proliferation/apoptotis increased significantly during the recovery stage. This simple experiment clearly shows that changing the diet from MCDD to a normal diet (CD) triggers the resolution of hepatic inflammatory and fibrotic reactions and hepatocyte apoptosis, suggesting that MCDD-induced steatohepatitis is also reversible. ER stress appears and disappears in association with the generation and regression of steatohepatitis, respectively, with fibrosis.

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Salvianolic acid B (Sal B) is one of the main active ingredients of Salvia miltiorrhiza, with strong antioxidant effects. Recent findings have shown that Sal B has anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-fibrotic effects and can promote stem cell proliferation and differentiation, and has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, aging, and liver fibrosis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) include oxygen free radicals and oxygen-containing non-free radicals. ROS can regulate cell proliferation, survival, death and differentiation to regulate inflammation, and immunity, while Sal B can scavenge oxygen free radicals by providing hydrogen atoms and reduce the production of oxygen free radicals and oxygen-containing non-radicals by regulating the expression of antioxidant enzymes. The many pharmacological effects of Sal B may be closely related to its elimination and inhibition of ROS generation, and Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2/Kelch-like ECH-related protein 1 may be the core link in its regulation of the expression of antioxidant enzyme to exert its antioxidant effect. What is confusing and interesting is that Sal B exhibits the opposite mechanisms in tumors. To clarify the specific target of Sal B and the correlation between its regulation of oxidative stress and energy metabolism homeostasis will help to further understand its role in different pathological conditions, and provide a scientific basis for its further clinical application and new drug development. Although Sal B has broad prospects in clinical application due to its extensive pharmacological effects, the low bioavailability is a serious obstacle to further improving its efficacy in vivo and promoting clinical application. Therefore, how to improve the availability of Sal B in vivo requires the joint efforts of many interdisciplinary subjects.

BackgroundPreviously, Huangqi decoction (HQD) has been found to have a potential therapeutic effect on DMN-induced liver cirrhosis. Here, the mechanisms of HQD action against liver fibrosis were investigated in relation to hepatocyte apoptosis and hepatic inflammation regulation.MethodsLiver fibrosis was induced by DMN administration for 2 or 4 weeks. Hepatocyte apoptosis and of Kupffer cells (KC) and hepatic stellate cells (HSC) interaction were investigated using confocal microscopy. The principle cytokines, fibrogenic proteins and apoptotic factors were investigated using western blot analysis.ResultsCompared with the DMN-water group, HQD showed decreased hepatocyte apoptosis and reduced expression of apoptotic effectors, cleaved-caspase-3, and fibrotic factors, such as smooth muscle α-actin (α-SMA), transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1). However, the KC marker CD68 increased significantly in DMN-HQD liver. Confocal microscopy demonstrated widespread adhesion of KCs to HSCs in DMN-water and DMN-HQD rats liver.ConclusionsHQD exhibited positive protective effects against liver fibrosis; its mechanism of action was associated with protection from hepatocyte apoptosis and the promotion of CD68 expression in the devolopment of liver fibrosis to cirrhosis development.

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