Protective Effects of Yinchenhao Decoction on Cholesterol Gallstone in Mice Fed a Lithogenic Diet by Regulating LXR, CYP7A1, CYP7B1, and HMGCR Pathways

Figure 1

The gallbladder conditions and hepatic histological sections of different groups. (a)–(d) Analysis of gallstone evolution under 2× stereo microscope: (a) dark red liver, small and transparent gallbladder without gallstone; (b) cholestasis with greasy, fragile, light gray liver; (c) sludge or floccules in the bile; (d) massive, granulated, and white gallstones. (e)-(f) Analysis of cholesterol gallstone evolution with naked eye: (e) dense clumps of stones; (f) cholecystectasia. (g)-(i) HE staining of hepatic tissues under 400× microscope: (g) normal hepatocytes; (h) serious liver injury with fat droplets in loose cytoplasm extensively. Fatty vacuoles were filled with cytoplasm. Cells may exist with nuclear fragmentation, interstitial and double nuclear (arrow); (i) light liver injury with small vacuoles degeneration. The nucleus to cytoplasm ratio is slightly abnormal and some of the nucleus was loose and squeezed to the edge (arrow). HE: hematoxylin eosin.

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