A Study Of The Influence Of The Factor Of "Stagnation Of Liver-qi And Asthenia Of Spleen" On Experimental Hepatocarcinogenesis In Rats Induced By Diethylnitrosamine

Primary liver carcinoma is one of the malignant tumors seriously threatening the health of mankind. According to epidemiological survey, at present the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome of "Stagnation of Liver-qi and Asthenia of Spleen" ( SLAS) has already become common TCM syndrome pattern in clinical, especially in chronic hepatopathy such as chronichepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. Therefore it is important to study the correlation between the TCM syndrome of SLAS and hepatocarcinoma by way of applying the theory of TCM combining with modern medicine.In this study, to establish animal model of hepatocarcinoma intergrated with the TCM syndrome of SLAS, diethylnitrosamine ( DEN ) was administrated to male Wistar rats to induce hepatocarcinoma. Simultaneously, their act ivi ty and diet were restricted to mimic the factor of SLAS. Our objective is to elucidate the relationship and mechanism between the factor of SLAS and the experimental hepatocarcinogenesis in rats.In this study, 120 rats were devided into 5 groups at random, including normal central group, hepatocarcinoma group, the syndrome of SLAS group, hepatocarcinoma intergrated with the syndrome of SLAS group, and treatment group treated with the TCM prescription of "Dispersing the Stagnation of Liver-qi and Invigorating the Asthenia of Spleen" (DSLIAS) .The weight of each rat was recorded weekly and the changes of their appearance, behavior, diet, drinking and stool were observed daily. At 9th, 14th and 19th weeks, the rats were decapitated in batches, and some indicator were assayed including the content of monoamine neurotransmitter in hypothalamus, blood viscosity, serum gamma-glutamyl transferase , hepatocyte DNA content and ploidy, enterocoelia macrophage phagocytosis, spleen T, B lymphocytes proliferation competence, and T cell's interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma yielding competence. The histological changes in liver were observed under microscope after HE staining.Our results indicated that the factor of SLAS could worsen the general status of the rats with DEN-induced hepatocarcinoma, decrease their weight, alter their behavior, influence the content of monoamine neurotransmitter in hypothalamus, increase blood viscosity, inhibit their cellular immunity function, increase serum gamma-glutamyl transferase, promote the alteration of hepatocyte DNA content and ploidy, and also exacerbate the liver's histologicalchange to some extent. And the TCM prescription of DSLIAS can relieve the influences of the factor of SLAS on hepatocarcinogenesis in rats.In conclusion, the factor of SLAS can promote the experimental hepatocarcinogenes in rats induced by DEN to a certain extent.