Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids prevent progression of liver fibrosis and promote liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in cirrhotic rats.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) on liver regeneration of rats with liver cirrhosis after hepatectomy and antifibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were intravenously injected in n-3 PUFA group 3 days before the operation to 1 day after partial hepatectomy. 70% hepatectomy was performed in rats, which were subsequently divided into 4 groups, namely normal and hepatectomy group (PH); liver cirrhosis and hepatectomy group (LC+PH); liver cirrhosis, n-3 PUFA (1 mL/kg), and hepatectomy group (LC+n-3 PUFA+PH); liver cirrhosis, n-3 PUFA (2 mL/kg) and hepatectomy group (LC+n-3PUFA*+PH). Body/liver weight ratios, serum parameters, histopathological examination, immunostaining, inflammatory cytokine and quantification of mRNA expression were also investigated. RESULTS: Liver regeneration was significantly delayed compared with PH group 7 days after hepatectomy (PH) in LC+PH group. Besides, liver regeneration of LC+n-3 PUFA*+PH group increased significantly compared with LC+PH group 7 days after PH. In LC+PH group, liver cirrhotic was significantly higher compared with LC+n-3 PUFA+PH group 7 days after PH. In the meantime, liver cirrhosis of LC+n-3 PUFA*+PH group was significantly reduced compared with LC+n-3 PUFA+PH group 7 days after PH. Anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was increased and pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 was decreased in LC+n-3 PUFA*+PH group compared with LC+PH group. N-3 PUFA also suppressed increments in mRNA expression for transforming growth factor-ß and up-regulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and matrix metalloproteinase-1 in the liver. CONCLUSIONS: The mentioned results clearly show that n-3 PUFA reduces liver fibrosis and promotes liver regeneration, even under cirrhotic conditions. This could be a potentially useful treatment for liver cirrhosis.

[Effect of jian yan ling on serum lipids, apoprotein and lipoprotein-a].

Effect of Jian Yan Ling (JYL, mainly consisted of Succinum, Pteria margaritifers and Astragalus membranaceus etc.) on serum lipids was studied by double-blind method in 128 hyperlipemia patients. Patients were divided randomly into two groups, the test groups (64 cases) treated with JYL, while the other 64 cases treated with placebo as control for 3 months. Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), TC-high density lipolipid-cholesterol (TC-HDL-C), apoproteins were observed before and after treatment. Results showed that the TC, TG, apoproteins and lipoprotein-a of test group were all dropped significantly after JYL treatment (P < 0.01). The results suggested that JYL could regulate the blood lipids and could also exert an effect of antiatherosclerosis through reducing blood lipoprotein-a level. It is worth while to use JYL as an antihyperlipemic agent clinically.