Figure 2. PCN inhibits the carbon tetrachloride (‘CCl₄’)-dependent liver fibrosis.

Rats were administered carbon tetrachloride and/or PCN (25 mg/kg body weight; one injection/week) as outlined in the Experimental section for 6 weeks. (A) Representative liver sections from the indicated treatment groups immunostained for α-smooth-muscle actin. (B) Representative liver sections from the indicated treatment groups and stained with Sirius Red. (C) Severity scores for α-smooth-muscle actin and Sirius Red. Liver sections were independently scored for severity on a scale of 0–5 (normal–extensive staining/fibrosis) by an examiner blinded to the treatment groups. Each point represents the score for a section from a single animal, the number of individual animals being equal to the number of points per treatment group. The mean score is indicated by the line. * Indicates significantly lower damage versus carbon tetrachloride-treated group, P>95% using Student's t test.