Objective   To study the effect of modified turtle shell decoction (MPTSD) on hepatic fibrosis in rats and its mechanism.    Methods   Ninety male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups

15 rats in each group. A toxic hepatic fibrosis of rats was reproduced with 40% carbon tetrachloride (CCl

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) (3 ml/kg) for 8 weeks. Fifteen rats were treated for 6 weeks with MPTSD at 28.4 g/(kg·d) as a high dose group

at 14

.2 g/(kg·d) as a medium dose group

and at 7.1 g/(kg·d) as a low-dose group. Rats treated with compound MPTSD soft tablets at 0.6 g/(kg·d) served as a positive control group and those treated with olive oil at 10 ml/(kg·d) served as a blank control group. Changes of HF in different groups were observed with hematoxylin-eosin（HE）staining 8 weeks after treatment. Expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1)

Smad3 and Smad7 was detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry staining.    Results   Eight weeks after treatment

the destruction of hepatic lobules in high

medium and low dose MPTSD groups and positive control group were remarkably alleviated with

fatty degeneration of some liver cells

infiltration of inflammatory cells and formation of few collagen fibers. The mRNA and protein expression level of TGF-β1 and Smad3 was significantly lower while the expression level of Smad7 was remarkably higher in high

medium and low dose MPTSD groups and positive control group than in blank control group（P0.01) . No significant difference was observed in high

medium and low dose MPTSD groups and positive control group.    Conclusion   MPTSD can significantly improve CCl

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- induced hepatic fibrosis in rats by regulating the TGF-β/smad signal pathway. 