TGFB1 and pulmonary fibrosis: Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3, another TGF-β1-dependent stimulator of fibroblast activation, as well as HSP-47, a collagen-specific heat shock protein and an indicator of pulmonary fibrosis, were also decreased by emodin, further showing its antifibrotic activity (Guan et al., 2016).