Objective To study the effect of
radix salviae miltiorrhizae on
hepatic stellate cells of the rat. Method Hepatic stellate
cells (HSC) were separated from the liver of the rat. After the HSC had been treated with the extract of
Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae in different concentrations, the proliferation of the cells, activity of the nuclear factor- κappa B(NF-κB) and expression of the protein and mRNA of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were examined with the MTT test, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay (ELISA) and Northern blotting, respectively . Results The extract of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae was shown to exert a fairly strong inhibitory effect on the growth of HSC. The same substance could also strikingly inhibit the activity of NF-κB and down-regulate the expression of the protein and mRNA of TNF-α in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion It is thought by the authors of the present paper that the strong inhibitory effect of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae on the proliferation of HSC might be attributed to its suppressing influence on the activity of NF-κB and down-regulating action on the TNF-α expression.