Mechanism of hepatic stellate cell proliferation and apoptosis in rats by promoting circulation, removing stasis, and dredging collaterals based on the theory of liver collateral disease.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the impacts on the proliferation, inhibition, apoptosis, and cell cycle of hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) in rats by using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in serum. METHODS: Twenty-seven rats were randomly divided into nine groups on average: a blank control (BC) group (fed by distilled water), a positive control group (colchicine solution, 0.05 mg/mL), and seven TCM groups [with the aim of clearing the liver of choleresis with 0.24 g/mL (weight of TCM herbs per milliliter), 0.73 g/mL, 1.22 g/mL, 2.45 g/mL, 7.34 g/mL, 12.24 g/mL, 24.48 g/mL]. Each rat received gavage with a dose of 1 mL/100 g twice a day for 7 days to prepare the drug serum. The HSC-T6 were divided into a TCM serum group, a positive control group, and a BC group. The TCM group and the positive control group were given corresponding drug serum for incubation, while the BC group received the medium without drug serum. RESULTS: The cellular proliferation inhibition rate in the positive control and TCM groups was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that in the BC group. The number of cells in the positive, 0.24 g/mL TCM, 1.22 g/mL TCM, and 7.34 g/mL TCM groups increased significantly (P<0.05) in the G0/G1 phase compared with the BC group. The number of cells in the positive group and all the TCM groups clearly increased in phase S by 0.73 g/mL in the TCM group, 2.45 g/mL in the TCM group, 12.24 g/mL in the TCM group, and 24.48 g/mL in the TCM group compared with the BC group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The number of cells in the G2/M phase of the positive control group and all the TCM groups decreased significantly. Compared with the BC group, the positive group, 0.24 g/mL TCM group, 0.73 g/mL TCM group, 1.22 g/mL TCM group, 2.45 g/mL TCM group have statistically difference (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A Qinggan Lidan prescription may exert anti-hepatic fibrosis effects by blocking HSC-T6 in the G0/G1 and S phases and by suppressing the proliferation of HSC-T6.

[Determination of 11 kinds of inorganic elements in Cortex Spondiacis by microwave digestion/ICP-MS method].

The present research aimed to establish a kind of simple and rapid method to detect metal elements in Cortex Spondiacis were determined by microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The sample was digested with HNO3-H2O2 acids system. The operation would be simplified and the blank value would be decreased with the above acids systems. Instead of using concent rated acid, this experiment not only can leave out the process of drying or dilution and save time, and extend the life of the instrument, but also eliminates the errors of the inconsistency between digestion solutions and standard solutions. The experimental results showed that Cortex Spondiacis is rich in beneficial elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, and nickel. And the content of harmful elements of the drug, such as mercury, lead, cadmi um and arsenic, is under the national rule, which have some medicinal value. Under the optimum working conditions of the instrument, the detection limits were all smaller than 0.052 1 microg x L(-1), the recovery ratios by standard addition were in the range of 90.8%-113.8% and the RSD was smaller than 5.10% for all elements. Precision and accuracy of determining results are satisfactory. This results are reliable. These results are reliable. The method can meet the need for simultaneity determination of high content element and trace element in Cortex Spondiacis.