Pharmacodynamic study of chitosan in combination with salvianolic acid B in the treatment of CC14‐induced liver fibrosis in mice

Abstract Liver fibrosis is a chronic liver lesion caused by excessive deposition of the extracellular matrix after liver damage, resulting in fibrous scarring of liver tissue. The progression of liver fibrosis is partially influenced by the gut microbiota. Chitosan can play a therapeutic role in liver fibrosis by regulating the gut microbiota based on the ‘gut–liver axis’ theory. Salvianolic acid B can inhibit the development of liver fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells and reducing the production of extracellular matrix. In this study, the therapeutic effect of chitosan in combination with salvianolic acid B on liver fibrosis was investigated in a mouse liver fibrosis model. The results showed that the combination of chitosan and salvianolic acid B was better than the drug alone, improving AST/ALT levels and reducing the expression of α‐SAM, COL I, IL‐6 and other related genes. It improved the structure of gut microbiota and increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus. The above results could provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of liver fibrosis.