Figure 3.

Identification of the DHI anti‐fibrotic effect in vitro. DHI suppressed the mRNA expressions of COL1A1, TGFB1 and ACTA2 in a dose‐dependent manner in (A) LX‐2 cells and (B) rat pHSCs. DHI dose‐ and time‐dependently reduced the protein expressions of COL1A1, TGF‐β1, α‐SMA in (C and E) LX‐2 cells and (D and F) rat pHSCs. The values are expressed as the mean ± SEM of five independent assays, #P < 0.05; significantly different from the control group and *P < 0.05; significantly different from the TGFβ1 treatment group in LX‐2 cells; *P < 0.05; significantly different from the control group in rat pHSCs; ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. The mRNA/protein expression levels were normalized against GAPDH.