Abstract:To investigate the effect of flavonoids from Rabdosia serra(Maxim) Hara (FRSH) onfibrosing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice and discuss the mechanism. Methods Mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group, model group, and treatment groups (FRSH-L, FRSH-M and FRSH-H groups). The mice in the model group were given high-fat and methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet. In the treatment groups MCD diet and different concentrations of FRSH were used. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were examined. The pathological changes of the liver were observed after HE staining. The expressions of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the liver were determined by Western blot. The mRNA levels of TGF-βand PPARγwere detected by qRT-PCR. Results Compared with the model group, treatment with FRSH significantly decreased the serum levels of ALT and AST and improved the liver inflammation and fibrosis. Moreover, the expressions of TIMP-1 protein and TGF-βmRNA were reduced and the expressions of MMP-9 protein and PPARγ mRNA were increased in the liver after FRSH treatment. Conclusions FRSH could retard the development of fibrosing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis through modulation of the expressions of MMP-9, TIMP-1, TGF-βand PPARγ.