SMAD3 and Hepatic fibrosis: By integrating phytochemical profiling, cell-based assays, in vivo models, and microbiota analyses, our findings support that PACs-CFE may exert protective effects against liver fibrosis via the mediation of hepatic stellate cell inactivation, ferroptosis induction, suppression of the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway, and modulation of gut microbiota composition.