SMAD3 and Hepatic fibrosis: Our results showed that CPhGs, echinacoside and acteoside can decrease smad2 and smad3 mRNA expressions, and increase smad7 mRNA expression; inhibit smad2, p-smad2, smad3 and p-smad3 protein expressions, and up-regulate smad7 protein expression, suggesting that CPhGs, echinacoside and acteoside also plays a role in inhibiting HSC activation and thus inhibit hepatic fibrosis, highlighting a potential anti-fibrotic mechanism.