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Frontiers of Medicine >> 2011, Volume 5, Issue 1 doi: 10.1007/s11684-011-0111-4

Downregulation effects of beta-elemene on the levels of plasma endotoxin, serum TNF-alpha, and hepatic CD14 expression in rats with liver fibrosis

1. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430022, China;

2. Department of Oncology, The Second Staff Hospital of Wuhan Iron and Steel (Group) Corp., Wuhan 430085, China

Available online: 2011-03-05

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Abstract

It has been demonstrated that β-elemene could protect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in our laboratory work, and the aim of this paper is to reveal the protective mechanisms of β-elemene. The hepatic fibrosis experimental model was induced by the hypodermical injection of CCl4 in Wistar male rats. β-elemene was intraperitoneally administered into rats for 8 weeks (0.1 mL/100 g bodyweight per day), and plasma endotoxin content was assayed by biochemistry. The serum TNF-α level was detected using radioactive immunity. CD14 expression in rat livers was measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The results showed that β-elemene can downregulate the levels of plasma endotoxins, serum TNF-α, and hepatic CD14 expression in rats with liver fibrosis. β-elemene plays an important role in downregulating the lipopolysaccharide signal transduction pathway, a significant pathway in hepatic fibrosis development.

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