{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,12]],"date-time":"2025-10-12T03:53:05Z","timestamp":1760241185663,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"24","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,13]],"date-time":"2019-12-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1576195200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100004396","name":"Thailand Research Fund","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MRG6180078"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MRG6180078"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100004396","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100010731","name":"Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["0652560"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["0652560"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100010731","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Salacia chinensis L. (SC) stems have been used as an ingredient in Thai traditional medicine for treating patients with hepatic fibrosis and liver cirrhosis. However, there is no scientific evidence supporting the antifibrotic effects of SC extract. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the antifibrotic activity of SC stem extract in human hepatic stellate cell-line called LX-2. We found that upon TGF-\u03b21 stimulation, LX-2 cells transformed to a myofibroblast-like phenotype with a noticeable increase in \u03b1-SMA and collagen type I production. Interestingly, cells treated with SC extract significantly suppressed \u03b1-SMA and collagen type I production and reversed the myofibroblast-like characteristics back to normal. Additionally, TGF-\u03b21 also influenced the development of fibrogenesis by upregulation of MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 and related cellular signaling, such as pSmad2\/3, pErk1\/2, and pJNK. Surprisingly, SC possesses antifibrotic activity through the suppression of TGF-\u03b21-mediated production of collagen type 1, \u03b1-SMA, and the phosphorylation status of Smad2\/3, Erk1\/2, and JNK. Taken together, the present study provides accumulated information demonstrating the antifibrotic effects of SC stem extract and revealing its potential for development for hepatic fibrosis patients.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms20246314","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,13]],"date-time":"2019-12-13T11:27:22Z","timestamp":1576236442000},"page":"6314","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Salacia chinensis L. Stem Extract Exerts Antifibrotic Effects on Human Hepatic Stellate Cells through the Inhibition of the TGF-\u03b21-Induced SMAD2\/3 Signaling Pathway"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7719-4374","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mattareeyapar","family":"Phaosri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3111-5658","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Salinee","family":"Jantrapirom","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4240-5367","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mingkwan","family":"Na Takuathung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Research Center of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Noppamas","family":"Soonthornchareonnon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Thung Phaya Thai, Rajathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9620-4590","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Seewaboon","family":"Sireeratawong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Pensiri","family":"Buacheen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6219-386X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pornsiri","family":"Pitchakarn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wutigri","family":"Nimlamool","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Research Center of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8951-8532","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Saranyapin","family":"Potikanond","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"},{"name":"Research Center of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-pathol-011110-130246","article-title":"Pathogenesis of Liver Fibrosis","volume":"6","author":"Friedman","year":"2011","journal-title":"Ann. 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