Saffron and Calculus bovis combination exerts anti-hepatic fibrotic effect in liver fibrosis rats via the mitogen-activated protein kinases pathway

Figure 5 Potential mechanism of saffron and Calculus bovis against hepatic fibrosis. A: Effects of each drug on mRNA levels of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase at 4 weeks; B: Effects of each drug on mRNA levels of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase at 8 weeks; C: Immunofluorescence results of p38 and α-smooth muscle actin in rat liver tissues at 4 weeks and 8 weeks; D: Protein expression of type I collagen, phosphorylated-p38, phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinases, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase, transforming growth factor-β, and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 in each group at 4 weeks; E: Protein expression of type I collagen, phosphorylated-p38, phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinases, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase, transforming growth factor-β, and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 in each group at 8 weeks. α-SMA: Α-smooth muscle actin; COI-I: Type I collagen; TGF-β: Transforming growth factor-β; SMAD3: Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3; BJRG: Biejia Ruangan tablet; Saf: Saffron; Cal b: Calculus bovis; JNK: C-Jun N-terminal kinases; ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. ^aP < 0.001 vs control group, ^bP < 0.05 vs CCl₄ group, ^cP < 0.01 vs CCl₄ group, ^dP < 0.001 vs CCl₄ group, ^eP < 0.05 vs saffron and Calculus bovis group, and ^fP < 0.01 vs saffron and Calculus bovis group.