Saikosaponin-d alleviates hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway and blocking the EMT process

Figure 1 Saikosaponin-d attenuates the progression of hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting hepatic stellate cells activation. A: Fresh liver images of mice in the control (C), carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄), and CCl₄ + saikosaponin-d (SSd) groups; B: Serum alanine aminotransferase levels in mice from the C, CCl₄, and CCl₄ + SSd groups, n = 6; C: Serum aspartate aminotransferase levels in mice from the C, CCl₄, and CCl₄ + SSd groups, n = 6; D: Masson’s trichrome and Sirius red staining of liver tissue from mice in the C, CCl4, and CCl₄ + SSd groups, magnification × 200; E: Immunohistochemical staining for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in liver tissue from mice in the C, CCl₄, and CCl₄ + SSd groups, magnification × 100; F: MRNA expression levels of α-SMA in liver tissue from mice in the C, CCl₄, and CCl₄ + SSd groups, n = 6; G: The changes in cell viability of LX-2 cells after 24 hours of intervention with different concentrations of SSd, n = 6; H: Cell viability in the control (Con), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and TGF-β1 + SSd groups, n = 4; I: Aspartate aminotransferase levels in LX-2 cells from the Con, TGF-β1, and TGF-β1 + SSd groups, n = 4; J: Alanine aminotransferase levels in LX-2 cells from the Con, TGF-β1, and TGF-β1 + SSd groups, n = 4; K: MRNA expression levels of α-SMA in LX-2 cells from the Con, TGF-β1, and TGF-β1 + SSd groups, n = 4; L: Protein expression levels of α-SMA in LX-2 cells from the Con, TGF-β1, and TGF-β1 + SSd groups, n = 4. C: Control; CCl₄: Carbon tetrachloride; SSd: Saikosaponin-d; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; α-SMA: Α-smooth muscle actin; TGF-β1: Transforming growth factor-β1.