Objective

To study the mechanisms of Shengqing Capsules, a compound Chinese herbal medicine for dispersing stagnated liver qi and promoting bile flow, in prevention and treatment of pigment gallstone.

Methods

Liver cells from guinea pigs with pigment gallstone were primarily cultured in vitro. The serums containing different concentrations of Shengqing Capsules were prepared by serum pharmacological method. The primary cultured hepatocytes with excessive expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) were stimulated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and the effects of the drug-containing serums on the NF-κB expression were detected by Western-blotting.

Results

Shengqing Capsules down-regulated the NF-κB expression increased by LPS stimulation. The effect is dose-dependent.

Conclusion

Shengqing Capsules can down-regulate the NF-κB expression increased by LPS stimulation. It may be one of the important mechanisms of this Chinese herbal medicine in prevention and treatment for pigment gallstone formation and the inflammatory reaction in biliary tract

Key words: Hepatocytes, Nuclear factor-κB, Guinea pigs, Cholelithiasis