長久以來肝病一直是國人的重大疾病之一，而肝臟發炎後形成肝纖維化是肝硬化的前期病變，其中參與形成肝臟纖維化的主要細胞為星狀細胞。因此，本研究的目的乃建立以胎牛血清體外活化大鼠肝臟星狀細胞株（Hepatic stellate cells； HSCs）的模式，再以柴胡皂苷A、D及薑黃素等成分分別處理HSCs，觀察是否具有抑制HSCs的纖維化作用，以減低肝硬化的發生機率。研究結果發現，高濃度胎牛血清（5-10%）具促進HSCs增生及形態改變的作用。另一方面，柴胡皂苷A、D及薑黃素均具有抑制10%胎牛血清刺激HSCs增生及形態改變的作用。此結果與過去的相關動物體內的研究報告具一致性。我們認為此一體外活化HSCs的模式，將有助於研究抑制肝臟纖維化藥物篩檢的進行。

Liver disease has been a major disease in Taiwan, and liver fibrosis is the early stage of liver cirrhosis after liver inflammation. Among liver pathogenesis, the stellate cells is the major cell type which play a central role in liver fibrosis. Therefore, this study tried to establish an in vitro activated-model of rat hepatic slellate cell line by high concentrations of fetal bovine serum (FBS), and investigated the inhibitory effects of Saikosaponin A, D (SSA, SSD) or curcumin (CCM) on the activation of HSCs by FBS. The results showed that FBS can stimulate the pro life ration and cell type change of HSCs by a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, SSA, SSD or CCM can inhibit both cell proliferation and morphological change of HSCs induced by 10% FBS. However, the mechanism of these components to inhibit the activation of HSCs induced by 10% FBS is still further studied.