Inhibitory Effect of Artemisiae Capillaris Herba on Fibrogenesis in Rat Hepatic Stellate Cells

인진(茵蔯)이 간성상세포의 섬유화 억제에 미치는 영향

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the anti-fibrogenic effect of Artemisiae Capillaris Herba on cultured rat hepatic stellate cells. Materials and Methods : Hepatic stellate cells(HSC-T6) were treated with various concentrations of Artemisiae Capillaris Herba extract for 24 hours. The extraction was done either with distilled water or 50% EtOH. After the treatment, cell viability, proliferation, procollagen levels and the mRNA of the collagen type 1a2 and ASMA were measured by using MTT assay, BrdU assay, RT-PCR, and Procollagen Type I C-peptide EIA Kit. Results : The viability and proliferation of the hepatic stellate cells were decreased as the concentration increased. The mRNA expression decreased consistently with the volume of the secreted procollagen with the extraction made with distilled water, which indicates the herb has inhibitory effect on fibrogenesis of the liver by regulating one of the fibrosis associated genes in transcription. However, it increased in 50% EtOH extraction, which shows that a more stable reaction is expected of the extraction made with distilled water than the extraction made with 50% EtOH. The production of procollagen was decreased by a low-concentration treatment with Artemisiae Capillaris Herba, but increased by a high concentration. It seemed that the cells were responding to Artemisiae Capillaris Herba in low- concentrations, thus producing small amounts of collagen. When the drug was administered at high enough concentration to give direct toxicity to cells, the ability of cells to produce collagen was activated, and the overproduction of collagen was observed as an undesirable results. Conclusion : These results suggest that Artemisiae Capillaris Herba is beneficial in the treatment of cirrhotic patients as well as for the patients with chronic hepatitis when extracted with water in the proper concentrations.