Objective: To establish stable and reliable rat models of hepatic cirrhosis with syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency

closely related to clinical disease and suitable for Chinese medicine active discovery and efficacy evaluation. Method: The 70 rats were randomly assigned to normal control group; model group I (79.5% simple corn flour plus 20% lard

high fat and low protein feed composed of 0.5% cholesterol; 30% alcohol compound factors for four weeks of modeling)

silybin meglumine tablets group I; modified model group II (79.5% simple corn flour plus 20% lard

high fat and low protein feed composed of 0.5% cholesterol; 10% alcohol gavage for 1 week

and 5% alcohol gavage for 3 weeks for modeling)

silybin meglumine tablets group II； modified model group Ⅲ (89.5% simple corn flour plus 10% lard

high fat and low protein feed composed of 0.5% cholesterol; 10% alcohol gavage for 1 week

and 5% alcohol gavage for 3 weeks for modeling)

and silybin meglumine slice group Ⅲ according to their body weight

n=10 in each group. The rats in Silibin meglumine tablets group I

group II and group Ⅲ received the treatment of silibin meglumine tablets at the dose of 0.108 g·kg-1 by gavage administration. During the experimental period

rats in all the other groups except the normal control group received unexpected emotional stimuli. Their general state was observed daily in every group; the clinical syndrome of liver cirrhosis (liver stagnation and spleen deficiency syndrome) was simulated; the syndrome performance suitable for the rats were analyzed and put forward; and the scores were given according to the standard every day. In addition

the body weight of the rats

daily food intake and daily water intake were recorded. The contents of alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

hyaluronic acid (HA)

procollagen Ⅲ (PC Ⅲ)

type collagenase IV (IV-C)

adenosine deaminase(ADA)

monoamine oxidase(MAO) and A/G in serum were detected in eyeball blood at the end of experiment; and histopathological changes of the liver tissues were observed with htoxylin-easin(HE) staining. Result: No rats died in the normal group

and the nutrition status was good. Water intake and food intake were decreased in model group

with slow weight gain

rough hair

apathetic

and toenail bleeding in individual mice. Four mice died in model group I; three mice died in model group II

and no death in model group Ⅲ. As compared with the normal group

the serum ALT

AST

HA

PC-Ⅲ

IV-C

ADA and MAO levels were significantly higher; A/G was significantly lower; and visceral brain ratio and syndrome scores were increased significantly in model group (P<0.01). As compared with the model group I

serum ALT

AST

HA

PC-Ⅲ

IV-C

ADA and MAO levels were significantly lower; A/G was significantly higher; and visceral brain ratio and syndrome scores were decreased significantly in various treatment groups (P<0.05

P<0.01). The morphological examination of the liver tissues showed false lobule formation in model group

with typical periportal lesions

but the lesions showed different degrees of improvement in the positive drug group. Conclusion: The modified cirrhosis rat models with a low mortality can be induced in a short time and animal status was similar to clinical syndrome performance of patients. Therefore

the rat models were suitable for the activity discovery

efficacy evaluation and mechanism investigation for cirrhosis

and also can be used in the research of correlation between the prescription and syndrome.