Abstract: Objective: To establish the alcoholic fatty liver(AFL) animal models,and to explore the protective effect of Zhi Zi Da Huang Tang (ZZDHT) on the rats with AFL and its dosage. Methods: A total of 54 SD rats were divided into normal control group (n=10) and model control group (n=44).The rats in model control group were given alcohol by lavage (50% ethanol solution 6.0 mL·kg^-1) combined with high-fat feed to establish the rat models of AFL.After 4 weeks,the rats in model control group were randomly divided into model group(treated with water),simvastatin group (10 mg·kg^-1), low and high doses (5.0 and 10.0 g·kg^-1) of ZZDHT groups,and there were 10 rats in each group.Every 2 weeks during the process,the body weights and levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), aspertate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were detected.After 4 weeks,the body weights and liver weights of the rats were detected; the levels of TC,TG,AST,ALT,alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in serum and liver tissue of the rats of were detected;the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α),interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in serum of the rats were detected; the morphology of liver tissue was observed by HE staining and the pathological examination was performed. Results: Compared with normal control group,the levels of serum TC,AST,ALT, TG,TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1β of the rats in model group 4 weeks after administration were significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01).Compared with model group, the levels of serum TC,TG,AST,and ALT of the rats in low and high doses of ZZDHT groups 4 weeks after administration were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01); the levels of serum TNF-α and IL-6,IL-1β of the rats in high dose of ZZDHT group were decreased (P<0.01);the levels of serum TNF-α and IL-1β of the rats in low dose of ZZDHT group were decreased (P<0.01); the levels of serum ADH and ALDH in liver tissue of the rats in low and high doses of ZZDHT groups and simvastatin group were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The HE staining result showed that compared with model group, the pathological conditions of the liver tissue of the AFL rats in ZZDHT groups were significantly improved. Conclusion: ZZDHT can significantly improve the liver injury caused by high fat diet combined with alcohol and fat liver lesions.

Key words: Zhi Zi Da Huang Tang, alcoholic liver injury, fatty liver,alcoholic, inflammation