The Intervention Effect Of Low Molecular Weight Chitosan In Hepatic Fibrosis Rats Induced By Carbon Tetrachloride

Objective To investigate the role of Low Molecular Weight Chitosan(LMCTS) in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in rats induced by carbon tetrachloride(CC14), and provide efficient drugs without adverse reaction for the clinical treatment of liver fibrosis.Methods72male Wistar rats were divided into6groups randomly, control group, model group, glycyrrhizinate group,50mg/kg LMCTS group (low does group),100mg/kg LMCTS group (medium does group),150mg/kg LMCTS group (high does group).8weeks after the establishment of the rat model of hepatic fibrosis by intraperitoneal injections of CCl4, the rats received intragastric administration of glycyrrhizinate or LMCTS once per day, and then were sacrificed on day28. The content of glutamic acid transaminase (ALT), aspartic acid aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in serum levels were detected. Pathological changes in the livers were measured by HE staining. Take Immunohistochemistry and Western-Blot to observe the expression ofa-SMA protein.Results Compared with the model group, the degree of liver fibrosis and the content of ALT, AST and ALP in serum decreased significantly in glycyrrhizinate group and LMCTS groups. LMCTS high does group(150mg/kg) had significantly lower levels of the content of ALT, AST and ALP in serum. The statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences (p<0.01or p<0.05). The results of HE staining showed that the livers of the model group had hepatic steatosis, there were significant inflammatory cell infiltration, collagen fiber hyperplasia and hepatic lobule damage apparently. Instead, LMCTS low, medium, high dose groups and glycyrrhizinate group reduced significantly, and the change of LMCTS high dose group was the most significant. Compared with the control group, the expression of a-SMA protein was obviously increased in glycyrrhizinate group and LMCTS groups. And compared with the model group, the expression of a-SMA protein reduced significantly in glycyrrhizinate group and LMCTS groups. LMCTS high does group(150mg/kg) had significantly lower levels on the expression of a-SMA protein (p<0.05). But there were no statistical significance in LMCTS low does group (p>0.05). The results are basically identical with those of the slice staining.Conclusion The results revealed that LMCTS can reduce the level of ALT, AST, ALP in the serum of the rats, reduce the expression of a-SMA protein in liver tissue significantly, improve liver function, alleviate the process of hepatic fibrosis.