n Aloe-emodin induced the apoptotic of systemic scleroderma skin fibroblasts and could significantly inhibit the proliferation and collagen synthesis in cultured fibroblasts.

Objective To study the effects of extract 5F from Pteris semipinnata L. on the apoptosis of skin fibroblasts in patients with systemic sc leroderma (SSc) and the possible mechanism of its inhibition on the proliferatio n of skin fibroblasts. Methods The cultured SSc skin fibroblasts were used as an experimental model, and the apoptosis of SSc skin fibroblasts before and afte r the extract 5F stimulation was detected by TUNEL assay and fluorescent microsc opy. Results The apoptosis of SSc skin fibroblasts was induced by the extract 5F, and the apoptosis was enhanced along with the increase of the concentration and incubation time of this compound within definite limits. Conclusions These results indicate that the extract 5F can induce the apoptosis of SSc skin fibro blasts, and significantly inhibit the proliferation and collagen synthesis in th ese cells.

Objective To study the effect of herbal medicine Pteris semipinnata5F on the fibroblasts from systemic scleroderma(SSc)skin and explore new drug for SSc treatment.Methods The SSc skin fibroblasts were cultured as an experimental model and the effects of Pteris semipinnata5F were detected.The cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay,and the collagen production by photometric determination.The mRNA expression for typeⅠandⅢprocollagen was detected by RT-PCR.Results It was shown that Pteris semipinnata5F could not only significantly inhibit the proliferation of the cultured SSc skin fibroblasts,but also significantly reduce the soluble collagen content in the culture medium(P