Liver fibrogenesis is caused by exposure to viral infections as
well as alcohol abuse (Gutierrez-Reyes et al., 2007; Yip and Burt,
2006). Liver fibrosis eventually leads to the development of liver
cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinomas (Nissen and Martin,
2002). Therefore, prevention of fibrosis formation is the key to
the prevention of cirrhosis and carcinomas. At present, none of
the available drugs can effectively treat liver fibrosis (Bataller
and Brenner, 2005). Natural products derived from traditional Chinese medicine have recently received considerable attention because of their potential as an alternative for the cure or
prevention of liver fibrosis.