Mechanistic study of italicBazhen Lihe Kangxian/italic italicFormula/italic （八珍荔核抗纤方） on CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis in rats via the COX-2/PGE₂/NF-B signaling pathway

Key Points

• This study aims to explore the mechanism of Bazhen Lihe Kangxian Formula in intervening CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis via the COX-2/PGE₂/NF-κB signaling pathway.
• Developed CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis model in rats and administered varying doses of Bazhen Lihe Kangxian Formula via gastric gavage.
• Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) with TGF-β1 and treated with serum containing Bazhen Lihe Kangxian Formula.
• Used immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, Western blot, and ELISA to assess protein and mRNA expression of signaling molecules and fibrosis markers.
• CCl₄ significantly increased expression levels of COX-2, mPGES-1, PGE₂, and key proteins in the NF-κB pathway, along with elevated levels of inflammatory cytokine mRNAs (IL-6, TNF-α).
• Bazhen Lihe Kangxian intervention significantly downregulated the expression of these molecules and decreased TGF-β1, α-SMA, and COL-I levels.
• In the induced HSC-T6 model, the formula serum inhibited α-SMA and TGF-β1 expression, reducing cellular activation.