Effects of tetramethylpyrazine on prohibiting hepatic fibrosis in rats

Objective To study the effects of tetramethylpyrazine on prohibiting hepatic fibrosis in rats. Methods Hepatic fibrosis in rats was induced by CCl 4. Materials were collected at the end of fourth and eighth weeks. Pathological, radioimmunitical, biochemical and immunohistochemical techniques were adopted to study the difference in related indexes.Results Hepatic fibrosis degree, serum hyaluronic acid concentration, serum nitric oxide content and desmin positive cell proportion in liver of the tetramethylpyrazine treated group were significantly lower than those of the hepatic fibrosis group at the end of fourth and eighth weeks. Collagen content in hepatic tissue in tetramethylpyrazine treated group was lower than that of hepatic fibrosis group. The difference was significant at the end of fourth week, but not significant at the end of eighth week.Conclusion Tetramethylpyrazine has certain effects on prohibiting hepatic fibrosis and reducing the serum nitric oxide level.