Objective To study the effects of vitamin A deficiency(VAD)and its supplementation on the skeletal growth in rats.Methods Eighteen female Wistar rats were randomly divided into VAD(Vit A 400 IU/kg diet,n=3),supplement(n=9)and control groups(normal diet Vit A 6 500 IU/kg,n=6).The supplement groups were randomly divided into 3 sub-groups,and their diet was changed to Vit A 6 500 IU/kg diet from 14 d after pregnancy,0 d and 4 weeks after birth respectively until they were 7 weeks age old.When they were 0 day,4 and 7 weeks old,their body weight,the length of the tibia,serum Vit A level were measured,and the histology of growth plate was also observed.Results At every measuring times,the serum Vit A level was significantly lower,and the tibial length was shorter in VAD group than in the control(P

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the influence of TCM Granules of the detoxification and dissipation blood stasis formula Ⅱon fulminant hepatic mitochondrial lipid peroxidation in rats with hepatic failure.METHODS:The fulminant hepatic failure rat models were established by subcutaneous injection of thioacetamide (TAA).48 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups:blank control group,model group,low dose group,medium dose group,high dose group,the lactulose treatment group,and the "Bezoar pill for resurrection" treatment group.Intragastric administration was executed 3 d before model-making,twice per day with the interval of 12 hours.They were administered for 11times.12 hours after model establishment.MDA、SOD、CAT、GSH、NO and liver necrosis area in hepatic mitochondria were determined.RESULTS:The detoxification and dissipation blood stasis formula Ⅱcould notably reduce liver necrosis area and restrain produce of hepatic mitochondrial lipid peroxidatide MDA,retrieve the activity of SOD、CAT and increase the content of GSH,NO.Moreover it shows dose-effect relation.Compared with model group,there is statistical significance(P

Objective To explore the mechanism of the Jiedu Huayu Ⅱ Decoction in actue hepatic failure.MethodsThe acute hepatic failure rat models were induced with thioacetamide (TAA).84 SPF Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups randomly:blank group,model group,low dose group,middle dose group,high dose group,lactulose group,and the Angong Niuhuang Pill group.The drugs were administrated by gavage 3 d before model-making,5.5 d in total.The expression of Bcl-2,cytochrome C in mitochondrial and cytoplasm were measured with Western Blot.ResultsThe expression of Bcl-2 reduced in mitochondrial,the expression of cytochrome C increased in cytoplasm and reduce in mitochondrial in model group compare with that of blank group.Jiedu Huayu Ⅱ Decoction was able to enhance the expression of Bcl-2 and restrain cytochrome C release from mitochondrial to cytoplasm.Moreover,it shows dose-effect relation.ConclusionThe protection of Jiedu Huayu Ⅱ Decoction for hepatocyte in acute hepatic failure rats maybe relate to the increase of Bcl-2 in mitochondrial,blocking the mitochondrial permeability transition pore to arrest cytochrome C releasing.

Liver cancer has always been a threat to national health since liver disease has a high incidence rate in China. At present, methods for the prevention and treatment of liver cancer have unsatisfactory effects in clinical practice, and with in-depth studies, scholars have changed their focus to cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in tumor microenvironment. More and more evidence has shown that CAFs may provide a new target for the prevention and treatment of liver cancer. This article summarizes the role of CAFs in the development and progression of liver cancer and the potential of CAFs in the treatment of liver cancer.

ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy and safety of norepinephrine combined with albumin versus terlipressin combined with albumin in the treatment of type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS1). MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, Medline, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP were searched for comparative studies on norepinephrine combined with albumin versus terlipressin combined with albumin in the treatment of HRS1. Quality assessment was performed for articles. Related indicators were extracted, including hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) reversal rate, mortality rate, incidence of adverse events, mean arterial pressure, and renal function, and Review Manager 5.3 was used for data analysis. The chi-square test was used to determine the heterogeneity between studies. Odds ratio (OR) was used for the analysis of dichotomous variables, weighted mean difference (WMD) was used for the analysis of continuous variables, and 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated for these two types of variables. ResultsA total of 6 randomized controlled trials which met the inclusion criteria were included, with a total sample size of 298 patients (149 patients in the norepinephrine+albumin group and 149 in the terlipressin+albumin group). The meta-analysis showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in HRS reversal rate (OR=0.95, 95%CI: 0.6-1.49, P=0.81), mortality rate (OR=0.84, 95%CI: 0.51-1.41, P=0.51), incidence rate of adverse events (OR=042, 95%CI: 0.16-1.07, P=0.07), mean arterial pressure (standardized mean difference=0.05, 95%CI: -0.92 to 1.03, P=092), and renal function. ConclusionNorepinephrine combined with albumin has similar efficacy and safety as terlipressin combined with albumin in the treatment of HRS1, and terlipressin can be replaced by norepinephrine in clinical practice when necessary.

Immune cascade due to inflammasome has become a research hotspot in recent years, and the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in the development and progression of liver diseases has attracted more and more attention. This article analyzes the action characteristics and regulatory mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome in liver diseases, such as viral hepatitis, liver fibrosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver failure, and liver cancer, and establishes targeted therapy based on NLRP3 inflammasome to regulate immune response triggered by inflammasome, in order to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases.

Liver failure is a common critical medical disease, and extensive liver cell necrosis within a short period of time exceeds the regeneration capacity of liver cells and thus results in an extremely high fatality rate. Promotion of effective liver regeneration is the key to antagonizing liver failure. Recent studies have shown that bile acid, farnesoid X receptor (FXR), and intestinal microecology play an important role in liver failure and liver regeneration. This article reviews the association between bile acid, FXR, and intestinal microecology and their role in liver failure and liver regeneration, so as to provide new ideas for the treatment of liver failure in clinical practice.

This paper reviews traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physicians′understanding of liver failure including its TCM causes, mechanisms, positions, and syndrome differentiation in various dynasties. The results suggest that modern researchers agree with ancient physicians on these aspects of liver failure. Based on achievements of ancient TCM physicians, modern researchers have further developed and improved their understanding of TCM causes, mechanisms, positions, and syndrome differentiation of liver failure. Moreover, this paper discusses the treatment of chronic liver failure with yang-supporting therapy, which provides a novel perspective and method for treating chronic liver failure.

Bile acids (BAs) are produced in the liver and are the final product of cholesterol catabolism, with a wide range of biological effects. This article reviews the research advances in the synthesis, transport, and metabolism of BAs and the role of BAs in regulating hepatocytes and immunity via enterohepatic circulation, as well as the current research on traditional Chinese medicine in the regulation of BAs, in order to further understand the mechanism of action of BAs in affecting intestinal flora and liver function, expand the knowledge of its regulatory mechanism, explore the mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine and related pathways in regulating BAs, and provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of liver-related systemic diseases by regulating BAs.

As a novel form of programmed cell death different from cell necrosis, apoptosis, and autophagy discovered in recent years, pyroptosis is characterized by cell membrane rupture and release of cell contents and proinflammatory factors mediated by gasdermin, thus leading to cell death. Pyroptosis signaling pathways can be classified into classical pathways dependent on caspase-1 and non-classical pathways dependent on caspase-4/5/11; the activation of caspase-1 in classical pathways depends on the function of inflammasome, while the direct activation of caspase-4/5/11 is observed in non-classical pathways, which leads to the lysis of gasdermin D and induce the formation of membrane pores, the maturation and release of interleukin-1β and interleukin-18, and the rupture of cell membrane to cause pyroptosis. Latest research has shown that pyroptosis plays an important role in the development and progression of chronic liver diseases. This article introduces the mechanism of pyroptosis and summarizes the role of pyroptosis in the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, in order to provide new ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases in clinical practice.