Hepatic fibrosis is a reversible wound-healing response characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix. Probiotics have been used to prevent and treat various disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (mixture of Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus casei, and Weissella confusa) on thioacetamide (TAA)–induced liver fibrosis in rats. Thirty-five male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: (1) control, (2) TAA, (3) TAA+probiotics, (4) TAA+silymarin, and (5) probiotics. Group 1 rats received a standard diet. In groups 2–4, fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of TAA (200 mg/kg BW) 3 times weekly for 8 consecutive weeks. Group 4 received TAA plus 100 mg/kg BW of silymarin 2 times weekly. Groups 3 and 5 were fed 10⁹ CFU/mL viable microbial cells daily by gavage. The rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks of treatment. Liver tissues were collected immediately and processed for histopathological, lipid peroxidation, and Western blot analyses of TNF-α, TGF-β1, and α-SMA. Blood serum was collected to measure liver enzymes. Rats in the TAA groups suffered from hepatic injury (increased serum enzyme levels, liver inflammation, and increased concentration of TNF-α, TGF-β1, and α-SMA proteins) and extensive liver fibrosis. In contrast, TAA-treated rats receiving probiotics or silymarin had significantly lower serum enzyme levels, less inflammation, and less fibrosis. Liver damage was lower in the TAA+probiotics-treated group. Consumption of a mixture of probiotic lactic acid bacteria attenuates the development of liver fibrosis.

肝纤维化是一种可逆的伤口愈合反应，其特征是细胞外基质的积累。益生菌已被用于预防和治疗各种疾病。本研究的目的是调查益生乳酸菌（的混合物的保肝作用副干酪乳杆菌，干酪乳杆菌，和魏斯氏银花）对硫代乙酰胺（TAA）诱导的大鼠肝纤维化。将35只雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为五组：（1）对照，（2）TAA，（3）TAA +益生菌，（4）TAA +水飞蓟素和（5）益生菌。第1组大鼠接受标准饮食。在2-4组中，连续3周每周3次腹膜内注射TAA（200 mg / kg BW）诱发纤维化。第4组每周两次接受TAA加100 mg / kg体重的水飞蓟素。给第3组和第5组喂食10 ⁹ 每天通过管饲法测定CFU / mL存活微生物细胞。治疗8周后处死大鼠。立即收集肝脏组织，并进行组织病理学，脂质过氧化和TNF-α，TGF-β1和α-SMA的Western印迹分析。收集血清以测量肝酶。TAA组的大鼠遭受肝损伤（血清酶水平升高，肝脏炎症以及TNF-α，TGF-β1和α-SMA蛋白浓度增加）和广泛的肝纤维化。相反，接受益生菌或水飞蓟素的经TAA治疗的大鼠的血清酶水平明显降低，炎症和纤维化程度降低。TAA +益生菌治疗组的肝损害较低。食用益生菌乳酸菌混合物可减缓肝纤维化的发展。