Effects of Diammonium glycyrrihizinate on NIH/3T3 fibroblast proliferation and type I collagen secretion

Objective To investigate the effect of Diammonium glycyrrihizinate on liver fibrosis in vitro. Methods NIH/3T3 fibroblasts were cultured, and incubated with PRMI-1640 medium containing 5%-20% (v/v) newbrown bovine serum (NBS), or PRMI-1640 medium containing no NBS, or 1-400μg/ml 18 GL solutions resolved in PRIM-1640 medium containing 5% NBS. Then the cytotoxic action,cell proliferation was measured with MTT colorimetric assay. The amount of type I collagen in the cultured supernatant was measured by ELISA,and cell number in the cell layer was quantified by the total protein assessed with DC protein assay Kit, type I collagen was expressed as "ng/mg total protein in cell layer". Results: 50-400μg/ml Diammonium glycyrrihizinate decreased the MTT transformation in the cells in concentration-dependent manner, and 400μg/ ml Diammonium glycyrrihizinate showed the obvious cytotoxity. NBS could promote cell proliferation, but Diammonium glycyrrihizinate inhibited the NBS-stimulated cell proliferation, both in a concentration- dependent manner. Also 10-200μg/ml Diammonium glycyrrihizinate decreased the type I collagen secretion. Conclusion Diammonium glycyrrihizinate inhibited NIH/3T3 fibroblast proliferation and type I collagen secretion, and may have antifiborotic actions.