Abstract: Objective: To investigate the prevention and treatment effect of Biejia Yugan Granule (BYG) on ethanol-induced hepatic fibrosis (EHF) rats. Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group, model group, BYG group, colchicine group and BYG low and BYG high dose groups (n=8). The EHF rat model was established by intragastric edible ethanol with a gradually increased dose. Briefly, the rats of model group, colchicine group and BYG low and high dose groups were given gavage of 5 g/(kg·d) ethanol at week 1～4, 7 g/(kg·d) ethanol at week 5～8, 9 g/(kg·d) ethanol at week 9～12 and 9.5 g/(kg·d) ethanol at week 13～24. And the other two groups were treated with equal volume water. At the same time, the corresponding drugs were administrated daily: BYG group was treated with Biejia Yugan Granules 5.55 g/kg, colchicine group was treated with colchicine 0.1 mg/kg, BYG low-dose and high-group were treated with Biejia Yugan Granules 1.85 and 5.55 g/kg respectively. The blank control group and model control group were given the same amount of purified water. On the 169th day of the experiment, the effects of BYG on the macroscopic changes of rat liver organs, the water content of liver tissue and the pathological changes of fibrosis, the content of hydroxy proline (Hyp) in liver tissue and the expression levels of α-SMA and CREB were observed. Results: BYG at the doses of 1.85 and 5.55 g/kg could significantly improve the macroscopic changes of liver and pathological changes of liver tissue fibrosis in rats with EHF, reduce the contents of water and Hyp in liver tissue, and down-regulate the expressions of α-SMA and CREB. Conclusion: BYG has obvious effect on inhibiting EHF and one of its mechanisms is down-regulate the content of CREB.

Key words: Biejia Yugan Granule (BYG), ethanol-induced hepatic fibrosis (EHF), rat, prevention and treatment effect, cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB)