Figure 1.

Withagulatin A suppresses HSC activation and proliferation. (A) Chemical structure of Withagulatin A. (B) Withagulatin A suppresses α-SMA expression. Primary rat HSCs and human hepatic stellate LX-2cells were incubated with Withagulatin A (0, 1, and 2 μmol/L) for 24 h and the expression of α-SMA was determined by Western blotting. GAPDH was used as a loading control. The results shown are from three representative independent experiments. (C) Bands were quantified and data are expressed as fold of control. (D) Withagulatin A inhibited HSC proliferation. Primary rat HSCs, LX-2 cells, and LO2 hepatocytes were treated with a series of concentrations (0–20 μmol/L) of Withagulatin A for 48 h and cell viability was determined using a SRB assay. These experiments were carried out in triplicate. ^bP<0.05, ^cP<0.01 vs control cells (0 μmol/L).