Antifibrotic activity of diterpenes from Biota orientalis leaves on hepatic stellate cells.

Antifibrotic effect of twelve diterpenes (1-12) from the 90% methanolic fraction of Biota orientalis leaves was evaluated employing HSC-T6 cells by assessing cell proliferation and morphological change. Among these diterpenes, totarol (8) and isopimara-8(14),15-dien-19-oic acid (9) dramatically reduced cell proliferation in dose-and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, treatment with these compounds resulted in the different pattern of morphological changes of HSC-T6 cells. Taken together, antiproliferative activity of diterpenes from B. orientalis might suggest therapeutic potentials against liver fibrosis.