Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to observe the efficacy of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation and herbal medicine in treatment of patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Methods A total of 93 patients with decompensated cirrhosis were encountered in our hospital between June 2017 and October 2022, and were randomly divided into group A, group B and group C. The patients in the group A were dealt with comprehensive internal medicines, and those in the group B received BMSC transplantation and the patients in the group C were treated with BMSC transplantation and thereafter herbal medicine therapy for six months. Serum hyaluronic acid (HA), type-IV collagen (CIV), laminin (LN) and type-III precollagen (PIIIP) levels were detected by radioimmunoassay, and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) levels were detected by ELISA. Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected by xanthine oxidase method and thiobarbituric acid method. Results At the end of 6 month treatment, the Child-Pugh score and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in group C were(7.2±1.2) and (9.0±0.6)kPa, both significantly lower than [(8.0±1.1) and (9.3±0.5)kPa, P＜0.05] in group B or [(8.9±1.4) and (9.6±0.6)kPa, P＜0.05] in group A, while serum albumin level was (34.6±3.1)g/L, much higher than [(32.0±1.9)g/L, P＜0.05] in group B or [(30.8±2.4)g/L, P＜0.05] in group A; serum HA and LN levels were (123.8±31.8)ng/mL and (112.9±27.5)ng/mL, both significantly lower than [(141.7±29.5)ng/mL and (129.3±30.3)ng/mL, P＜0.05] in group B or [(186.2±36.7)ng/mL and (161.1±36.5)ng/mL, P＜0.05] in group A; serum IL-6, TNF-α and MDA levels were (104.6±16.7)ng/L, (192.7±19.8)ng/L and (4.1±0.9)μmol/L, all significantly lower than [(114.3±15.3)ng/L, (210.9±22.8)ng/L and (5.0±1.3)μmol/L, P＜0.05] in group B or [(132.8±19.5)ng/L, (230.2±27.1)ng/L and (6.2±1.5)μmol/L, P＜0.05] in group A, while serum SOD level was (143.9±14.5) U/mL, significantly higher than [(134.2±13.3)U/mL, P＜0.05] in group B or [(122.1±11.7)U/mL, P＜0.05] in group A. Conclusion The BMSC transplantation followed by herbal medicine in treatment of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis could alleviate liver fibrosis and improve liver functions, which might be related to the inhibition of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress response.

Key words: Liver cirrhosis, Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, Intrahepatic transplantation, Herbal medicine, Therapy