Aqueous Date Flesh or Pits Extract Attenuates Liver Fibrosis via Suppression of Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Reduction of Inflammatory Cytokines, Transforming Growth Factor-β1 and Angiogenic Markers in Carbon Tetrachloride-Intoxicated Rats

Figure 7

(a) Effect of date flesh extract (DFE), date pits extract (DPE), coffee, and the combination groups on hepatic levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in CCl₄-intoxicated rats. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM. a: significantly different from normal control group; b: significantly different from CCl₄-treated group; c: significantly different from coffee-treated group. , , . (b) Light microscopic photomicrographs of liver tissue immunostained with primary anti-VGEF antibody (scale bar = 50 μm). (A) Control liver showing negative immune reactivity of hepatocytes, while (B) represents liver section of rat receiving CCl₄ showing strong abnormal irregularly distributed immune reactivity, especially between degenerated hepatocytes’ cytoplasm and nuclei. Panels (C), (D), (E), (F), and (G) that represent liver sections from rat receiving coffee, DFE, DPE, coffee + DFE, and coffee + DPE, respectively, showed marked decrease in the intensity of the immune reactivity of hepatocytes surrounding portal areas especially in rats treated with the DFE and the combination of coffee + DFE. (c) Light microscopic photomicrographs of liver tissue immunostained with anti-VEGFR-1 primary antibody (scale bar = 100 μm). (A) Control liver showing normal few weak immune positive cellular and nuclear receptors. (B) represents liver section of rat receiving CCl₄ in which there are focal strong abnormal immune reactivity of most of hepatocytes’ cell membrane and nuclei. Panels (C), (D), (E), (F), and (G) that represent liver sections from rat receiving coffee, DFE, DPE, coffee + DFE, and coffee + DPE, respectively, revealed a decrease in the number of immunostained hepatocytes with marked depletion of immune positivity observed in rats treated with coffee + DPE and then with coffee + DFE and DFE alone-treated groups. (d) Light microscopic photomicrographs of liver tissue immunostained with primary anti-PECAM (CD31) antibody (scale bar = 50 μm). (A) Control liver showing normal positive immune reactivity of endothelial cells cell membranes of the blood vessels of the portal area and blood sinusoids, while (B) represents liver section of rat receiving CCl₄ in which strong abnormal irregularly distributed immune reactivity, especially around degenerated hepatocytes, is prominent. Panels (C), (D), (E), (F), and (G) that represent liver sections from rat treated with coffee, DFE, DPE, coffee + DFE, and coffee + DPE, respectively, showed marked decrease of the immune reactivity outside portal areas especially in groups receiving DFE and combination.