Therapeutic effect of rhubarb on intrahepatic cholestasis in infant rats

    HUANG Yanª²Feng, ZHU Chaoª²Min

    Department of Infectious and Digestive Diseases, Children¬ðs Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To explore the therapeutic effect of rhubarb on intrahepatic cholestasis in infant rats. METHODS: 90 SD infant rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: treatment group of rhubarb, untreated group, treatment control group 1 of UDCA (Ursodeoxychlic Acid, UDCA), treatment control group 2 of UDCA and deltasone, and blank control group not treated with ¦Áª²Naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT) or any other treatment. Jaundice model of intrahepatic cholestasis was established in infant rats by ANIT. At the time of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th week, the concentrations of serum TB, DB, ALT, ALP and TBA were assessed by automatic biochemical analyzer. The histopathological changes of liver were observed respectively by light microscope and electron microscope. RESULTS: The concentrations of serum TB and DB were increased in the untreated group as compared with the blank control group, and there were significant differences in the concentrations of serum ALT, ALP and TBA between the untreated group and the blank control group (P<0.05) as well, which demonstrated that the animal model of hepatic jaundice with cholestasis was successfully established. The concentrations of serum DB, TB, ALP, ALT and TBA were significantly lower in the treatment group of rhubarb as compared with the untreated group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, better effects of relieving the jaundice and decreasing the ALP and TBA levels could be observed in rhubarb treatment group as compared with the UDCA group or treatment group of combined use of UDCA and deltasone. Only mild histopathological change in liver could be seen in rhubarb treatment group by light microscope or electron microscope as compared with the rats in other groups. CONCLUSION: Rhubarb remarkably reduces the concentrations of serum TB, DB, ALT, ALP and TBA, relieves the toxicity of bile acid and inhibits the hepatic injury or fibrosis. ......