SMAD3 and Hepatic fibrosis: Matrine prevented MCD diet-induced inflammation and fibrosis in the liver after 6 weeks of treatment, as demonstrated by a matrine-induced suppression of the increases in TNFα, CD68, MCP-1 and NLRP3, and hepatic fibrosis proteins (TGFβ, Smad3, and collagen 1) induced by MCD diet.