Objective To explore the possible mechanism of anti-liver fibrosis in Fugan Huaxian Decoction（ 扶肝化纤汤）. Methods A total of 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal control group and a Fugan Huaxian Decoction group

with 20 rats in each group. Fugan Huaxian Decoction group was intragastrically administered with 16. 78 g/kg Fugan Huaxian Decoction

and the normal control group was given equal volume of normal saline by gavage

once a day for 7 consecutive days. After the last administration

blood was taken from the abdominal aorta of the rats to prepare the drug-containing serum. Rat hepatic stellate cells HSC-T6 were cultured

and blank control group as well as 1%

2%

5%

8%

10%

15% and 20% Fugan Huaxian Decoction containing serum group were set up. The effects of different concentrations of Fugan Huaxian Decoction serum on the activation and proliferation of HSC-T6 induced by transforming growth factor β1（ TGF-β1） were determined. The serum containing15% Fugan Huaxian Decoction was determined as the optimal concentration. Cell experiments were divided into a blank control group（ HSC-T6 cells）

a normal group（ HSC-T6 cells + normal control serum + TGF-β1）

a Chinese medicine group（ HSC-T6 cells + 15% Fugan Huaxian Decoction serum + TGF-β1）; a blocking group 1（ HSC-T6 cells + SIS3）

a blocking group 2（ HSC-T6 cells + normal control serum + TGF-β1 + SIS3） and a blocking group 3（ HSC-T6 cells + 15% Fugan Huaxian Decoction containing serum + TGF-β1 + SIS3）. After 24 hours of culture

the proliferation inhibition rate of HSC-T6 cells and Smad 3

Smad 7

α smooth muscle actin（ α-SMA） and type I collagen mRNA of each group were compared. Results Compared with the blank control group

the inhibition rate of HSC-T6 cell proliferation in the normal group

the Chinese medicine group

the blocking group and the blocking group had statistically significant difference（ P < 0. 01）. Compared with the normal group

the inhibition rate of HSC-T6 cell proliferation in the Chinese medicine group

the blocking group 2 and the blocking group 3 had statistically significant difference（ P < 0. 01）. Compared with the Chinese medicine group

the inhibition rate of blocking group 3 was significantly increased（ P < 0. 01）. Compared with the blank control group

the expression of Smad 3 and type I collagen mRNA was down-regulated in the Chinese medicine group

blocking group 2 and blocking group 3

and the expression of Smad 7 and α-SMA mRNA was up-regulated（ P < 0. 01）. The normal group could upregulate Smad 3 and α-SMA and type I collagen mRNA expression

down-regulated Smad 7 mRNA expression（ P <0. 01）. Compared with the normal group

the Chinese medicine group

the blocking group 2 and the blocking group3 all down-regulated the expression of Smad 3

α-SMA and type I collagen and up-regulated the expression of Smad 7 mRNA（ P < 0. 01）. Compared with the Chinese medicine group

blocking group 3 could down-regulate the expression of Smad 3

α-SMA and type I collagen and up-regulate the expression of Smad 7 mRNA（ P < 0. 01）. Conclusion Fugan Huaxian Decoction could inhibit the activation and proliferation of HSC-T6 cells induced by TGF-β1

which may play an anti-fibrosis effect by affecting TGF-β1/Smad signal transduction pathway.