Antifibrotic effect of extracellular biopolymer from submerged mycelial cultures of Cordyceps militaris on liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation and scission in rats

The antifibrotic effects of hot water extract (WEC), intracellular biopolym er (IPC) and extracellular biopolymers (EPC) from mycelial liquid culture o f Cordyceps militaris on liver fibrosis were studied. Liver fibrosis was in duced by a bile duct ligation and scission (BDL/S) operation, duration of 4 weeks in rats. In BDL/S rats, the levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin in serum and hydroxyproline content in liver were dramatically increased. The WEC or IPC treatment (30 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks, p.o.) in BDL/S rats reduced the serum AST, ALT and ALP levels significantly (p < 0.01). The EPC treatm ent (30 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks, p.o.) reduced the serum ALT, AST and ALP lev els significantly (p < 0.01). Malondialdehyde contents in liver treated wit h WEC, IPC or EPC were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). But Liver hydroxyp roline content was decreased only in EPC treated BDL/S rats to 55% that of BDL/S control rats (p < 0.01). The morphological characteristics and expres sion of alpha smooth muscle like actin in fibrotic liver, which appeared in BDL/S control group were improved in EPC treated fibrotic liver. These res ults indicate that EPC (30 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks, p.o.) has an antifibrotic effect on fibrotic rats induced by BDL/S.