An aqueous extract isolated from Platycodon grandiflorum reduced acetaldehyde-induced collagen and alpha-SMA expression in hepatic stellate cells

The increased deposition of extracellular matrix by hepatic stellate cells following liver injury in a process known as activation is considered a key mechanism for increased collagen content of liver during the development of liver fibrosis. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of an aqueous extract from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), Changkil (CK), on hepatic fibrosis in hepatic stellate cells. We report that CK reduces the accumulation of collagen in acetaldehyde-induced hepatic stellate cells. (omitted)