Abstract: Objective To study the pathogenesis of hepatic injury induced by endotoxin （ET） in rats with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis（NASH） and the effects of traditional Chinese medicine. Methods NASH rats were induced by high fat diet and treated by low,medium and high dose of traditional Chinese medicine for smoothing liver,removing stagnation,dredging collaterals,and descending turbid substance four weeks later. These rats were sacrificed at the end of 12 weeks. Serum lipoid,ALT,ET,TNF-α and IL-1β were measured. The expressions of CD₁₄ and NF-κB in liver were observed by immunohistochemistry. The expression of LBP and TLR-4 mRNA in liver were detected by RT-PCR. ResultsAfter 12 wk,Serum ET levels in model group rats increased significantly compared with those in control group. The levels of ET,TNF-α and IL-1β in medium-dose group were lower than those of rats in control group,the differences were significant. The quantity of CD₁₄ positive staining cells in the liver of model group increased obviously compared with those of control group,and all of them were situated in the sinusoidal lining,meanwhile they were also located around central veins of hepatic lobules. CD₁₄ positive staining cells in the liver of medium-dose group were less than those of model group evidently. On high fatty diet,a few positive staining cells with NF-кB were situated diffusedly in the portal area of liver of model group. The mRNA levels of LBP and TLR-4 in the liver of model group were higher than those of control group,but they decreased in medium-dose group comparison with those of model group,the difference was significant. Conclusion Traditional Chinese medicine therapy is an effective treatment for NASH. Its mechanism of action maybe related to decreasing the level of serum ET,and down regulating endotoxin receptors of the liver and relieving inflammatory hepatic injury.

Key words: Fatty liver, Endotoxemia, Rats, Traditional Chinese medicine