الفهرس 
Liver fibrosisOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a common sequel to diverse liver injuries.
Without effective treatments, reversible liver fibrosis at an
early stage leads to irreversible cirrhosis. chronic liver injury
leads to a progressive wound healing response that eventually
results in liver fibrosis characterized by both quantity and
quality alteration of hepatic extracellular matrix, ECM.
Moreover, liver fibrosis represents the response of the liver to
diverse chronic insults such as parasitic disease, chronic viral
infection (hepatitis B and C), immunologic attack
(autoimmune hepatitis), hereditary metal overload, toxic
damage, and so forth.Because of the worldwide prevalence of
these insults, liver fibrosis is common and is associated with
significant morbidity and mortality.
The present study aimed to explore the efficacy of
Boswellia serrata gum extract and Punica granatum
peelextract in regression of liver fibrosis induced by
thioacetamide in adult male albino rats.
A total number of sixty male albino rats 9-10 weeks old
weighing approximately 150-170 g were divided into 6 groups.
group (1) was the control that received intraperitonial
injection of 0.9% normal saline solution (1ml / kg b. wt.) twice
weekly for 7 weeks. , group (2) was TAA-treated, in which
the rats were intraperitoneally administered with (TAA)
(200mg ∕ Kg b.wt.) twice weekly for induction of liver fibrosis,group (3) was Boswellia serrata group in which the rats were
orally treated with Boswellia serrata extract (175 mg ∕ Kg
b.wt.) daily for 8 weeks, group (4) was Punica granatum
groupin which the rats were orally treated with Punica
granatum extract (400mg/kg b.wt.) daily for 8 weeks .
Group(5) was Boswellia serrata treated in which rats were
orally treated with Boswellia serrata extract (175 mg ∕
Kgb.wt.) after the injection with thioacetamide in a dose of
200mg ∕ Kg b.wt. twice weekly for seven weeks and in
Group(6) rats were orally treated with Punica granatum
extract (400mg/kgb.wt.) after the injection with
thioacetamide in a dose of 200mg ∕ Kg b.wt. twice weekly for
seven weeks.
The present study was concerned with the histological
examination of liver tissue. Furthermore,chromosomal
aberrations also were investigated. In addition, estimation of
gene expression level of NQO1 and BCL-2 was carried out.
Serum levels of liver enzymes such as AST,ALT and ALP,
measurement of serum bilirubin levels were carried out.
Besides, Plasma FBG, HGF and GSH levels were determined.
Histological investigation of liver tissue sections of TAAtreated
group (group 2) showed histological changes in liver
that revealed many fibrotic features as inflammatory cells
infiltration, fibroblastic cells proliferation, dividing the hepatic
parenchyma into nodules and the multiple numbers of newly
formed bile ductules.Bone marrow chromosomes showed the
presence of number of structural chromosomal aberrations
such asfragment, ring form, deletion, centromeric attenuation,centric fusion and end to end association and numerical
aberrations as polyploidyin rats of the TAA-treated group,
significant down regulation(P˂0.05) in hepatic NQO1 and
BCL-2 gene expression levels was recorded in the TAA
treated rats (group 2) versus the control group. The TAAtreated
(group2) showed significant elevation(P˂0.05) in the
serum activity of liver enzymes, levels of bilirubin and
hepatocyte growth factor.Also, this group revealed significant
(P˂0.05) reduction in plasma fibrinogen level and hepatic
reduced glutathione content.
In (group 3) and (group 4) there was an improvement in
histological structure of liver,chromosomes, Hepatic NQO1
and BCL-2 gene expression levels, Liver enzymes (AST, ALT,
and ALP), bilirubin, Plasma fibrinogen and serum hepatocyte
growth factor levels and hepatic reduced glutathione content.
The study showed that (group 5)which received TAA then
Boswellia serrataextractand (group6) which received TAA
then Punica granatumextractshowed marked improvement in
the structural organization of the liver,in the number of the
chromosomal aberrations relative to the TAA-treated group.
These groups revealed dramatic upregulation(P˂0.05) in
hepatic NQO1and BCL-2 gene expression levels in
comparison with the TAA-treated group. Moreover, Boswellia
serrataextracttreated group and Punica granatumextracttreated
group showed significant depletion(P˂0.05) in serum liver
enzymes activity , bilirubin and hepatocyte growth factor
levels accompanied with significant elevation(P˂0.05) in
plasma fibrinogen level and hepatic reduced glutathione
content to near normal values. The study revealed that the treatment with Boswellia
serrata gum extract and Punica granatum peel extract for 8
weeks after receiving thioacetamide for 7 weeks has
aprotective role in the reduction of liver enzymes and bilirubin
levels also, in the reduction of hepatocyte growth factor level.