BACKGROUND: Epidemiology investigation showed that no worker drunk Maotai liquor for nearly 30 years died of hepatic diseases, and no obvious hepatic fibrosis and cirrho- sis were found in 99 workers who had drunk Mao...BACKGROUND: Epidemiology investigation showed that no worker drunk Maotai liquor for nearly 30 years died of hepatic diseases, and no obvious hepatic fibrosis and cirrho- sis were found in 99 workers who had drunk Maotai liquor for a long period by epidemiology investigation and needle biopsy. The same finding was detected in rats that were drunk by Maotai liquor continued for 56 days. This study was to investigate the effects of Maotai liquor on the liver and its mechanism of preventing hepatic fibrosis. METHODS: After ingestion of Maotai for 56 consecutive days, male SD rats were killed for detecting the levels of metallothionein and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tis- sues. Rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and human HSCs were cultured in vitro to observe the effect of Maotai on HSCs proliferation and collagen synthesis. After ingestion of Maotai for 14 consecutive weeks, the livers of male SD rats were harvested for pathohistological examination. RESULTS: The level of metallothionein in the liver of Mao- tai-induced rats increased by 22 folds, whereas the levels of hepatic lipid peroxide and MDA was decreased significantly ( P <0.05) in Maotai-induced animals suffering from CCl4. Maotai demonstrated obvious inhibitory effect on prolifera- tion of HSCs and the inhibition was concentration-depen- dent. Gene expression and protein secretion of collagens could also be inhibited by Maotai. In alcoholic group, typi- cal liver cirrhosis was observed. In Maotai group, however, though fatty degeneration of hepatocytes and mild fibrosis of the interstitium were observed, no obvious hepatic fibro- sis and cirrhosis were found. CONCLUSION: It might be an important mechanism of interfering the progress of hepatic fibrosis that Maotai in- creases the level of metallothionein in the liver and inhibits the activation of HSCs and the synthesis of collagen pro- teins.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND: Epidemiology investigation showed that no worker drunk Maotai liquor for nearly 30 years died of hepatic diseases, and no obvious hepatic fibrosis and cirrho- sis were found in 99 workers who had drunk Maotai liquor for a long period by epidemiology investigation and needle biopsy. The same finding was detected in rats that were drunk by Maotai liquor continued for 56 days. This study was to investigate the effects of Maotai liquor on the liver and its mechanism of preventing hepatic fibrosis. METHODS: After ingestion of Maotai for 56 consecutive days, male SD rats were killed for detecting the levels of metallothionein and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tis- sues. Rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and human HSCs were cultured in vitro to observe the effect of Maotai on HSCs proliferation and collagen synthesis. After ingestion of Maotai for 14 consecutive weeks, the livers of male SD rats were harvested for pathohistological examination. RESULTS: The level of metallothionein in the liver of Mao- tai-induced rats increased by 22 folds, whereas the levels of hepatic lipid peroxide and MDA was decreased significantly ( P <0.05) in Maotai-induced animals suffering from CCl4. Maotai demonstrated obvious inhibitory effect on prolifera- tion of HSCs and the inhibition was concentration-depen- dent. Gene expression and protein secretion of collagens could also be inhibited by Maotai. In alcoholic group, typi- cal liver cirrhosis was observed. In Maotai group, however, though fatty degeneration of hepatocytes and mild fibrosis of the interstitium were observed, no obvious hepatic fibro- sis and cirrhosis were found. CONCLUSION: It might be an important mechanism of interfering the progress of hepatic fibrosis that Maotai in- creases the level of metallothionein in the liver and inhibits the activation of HSCs and the synthesis of collagen pro- teins.
