Objective: To investigate the regulating effects of Jiedu Huayu granules on cytokines of immune network and observe its effect on liver tissues in rats with acute hepatic failure from the perspective of inflammatory factors. Method: Totally 120 Wistar rats were selected; 20 of them were used as normal group

and the other rats were used to prepare acute hepatic failure models by using D-GalN+lipopolysaccharide(LPS). The successfully modeled rats were divide into model group

Jiedu Huayu granules low dose

middle dose and high dose groups (9.1

28.76

57.55 g·kg-1)

E5531 group (endotoxin antagonist

10 mg·kg-1)

n=20 in each group. Corresponding drugs were given by ig 5 days before modeling

and the same volume of distilled water was given in normal group and model group

2 times/day. The rats were sacrificed 48 h after modeling. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)

interleukin-6(IL-6) and IL-10 in each group were detected by ELISA and the changes of pathological histology in liver tissues were observed by haematoxylin-eosin staining. Result: As compared with the normal group

the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum of model group were significantly increased

and IL-10 level was significantly decreased (P<0.05); with various inflammatory cell infiltration and pathological injury in hepatic tissues of model group. As compared with the model group

the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly decreased in Jiedu Huayu granules low dose

middle dose and high dose groups

while the level of IL-10 was increased (P<0.05). The pathological results of liver tissues showed that the injured level in Jiedu Huayu granules low

middle and high dose groups was relieved as compared with that in model group

with significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusion: By decreasing the level and inhibiting the expression of proinflammatory factors

and increasing the level and the expression of anti-inflammatory factors

Jiedu Huayu granules could improve patients' systemic inflammatory response and protect function of liver cells. It may be one of the mechanisms of Jiedu Huayu granules to antagonize acute hepatic failure in rats.