Abstract: AIM: To study the relationship between hepatic fibrosis and osteoporosis, and observe the preventive effects of ginseng fiber on bone loss. METHODS: Forty PCR micewere randomly divided into 4 groups. The mice in control group were treated by daily oral gavage with vehicle. The mice in other three groups were given SC injection of 40 %CCl₄ 10 ml·kg^-1 and treated by either daily oral gavage with vehicle, colchicine, or ginsen hair for 42 d. The liver injury indexes were measured and the mineral elements and hydroxyproline of femur were determined. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the serum enzyme activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartic acid aminotransferase (AST) markedly increased and serum albumin (Alb)and A /G distinctly decreased in CCl₄ group whose liver slides also showed typical liver cirrhosis. The dried weight of femur markedly reduced and the bone calcium content and bone hydroxyproline content significantly decreased in CCl₄ group. Bone copper and bone magnesium increased in CCl₄ group. Ginseng fiber markedly decreased the serum enzyme activity of ALT and increased the bone calcium content and bone hydroxyproline content. The preventive effects of ginseng fiber was similar to that of colchicine. CONCLUSION: The bone mass is lost in mice with chronic hepatic injury induced by CCl₄. Ginseng fiber can prevent bone loss and hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl₄ in mice.

Key words: hepatic fibrosis, osteoporosis, ginseng fiber, CCl₄, mice