Anti-fibrotic effects of Cuscuta chinensis with in vitro hepatic stellate cells and a thioacetamide-induced experimental rat model

Context: Cuscuta chinensis Lam. (Convolvulaceae) has been used as a traditional herbal remedy for treating liver and kidney disorders.

Objective: Anti-fibrotic effects of C. chinensis extract (CCE) in cellular and experimental animal models were investigated.

Materials and methods: HSC-T6 cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis were analysed using MTT assay, flow cytometry and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining techniques. Thioacetamide (TAA)-induced fibrosis model was established using Sprague Dawley rats (n?=?10). Control, TAA, CCE 10 (TAA with CCE 10?mg/kg), CCE 100 (TAA with CCE 100?mg/kg) and silymarin (TAA with silymarin 50?mg/kg). Fibrosis was induced by TAA (200?mg/kg, i.p.) twice per week for 13 weeks. CCE and silymarin were administered orally two times per week from the 7th to 13th week. Fibrotic related gene expression (α-SMA, Col1α1 and TGF-β1) was measured by RT-PCR. Serum biomarkers, glutathione (GSH) and hydroxyproline were estimated by spectrophotometer using commercial kits.

Results: CCE (0.05 and 0.1?mg/mL) and silymarin (0.05?mg/mL) treatment significantly (p?p?in vivo studies, CCE (10 and 100?mg/kg) treatment ameliorated the TAA-induced altered levels of serum biomarkers, fibrotic related gene expression, GSH, hydroxyproline significantly (p?Conclusions: CCE can be developed as a potential agent in the treatment of hepatofibrosis.