Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were purchased from Hubei University of Medicine (Shiyan, China). The SiO2-induced mouse pulmonary fibrosis model was performed. In brief, each group of mice was anesthetized with 1% pentobarbital sodium intraperitoneally at 40 mg/kg body weight and their tracheae had been surgically exposed. In addition, SiO2 suspension (20 mg in 50 ul saline) was instilled in the mice. The vehicle control groups were given an equivalent amount of 0.9% sterile saline. After one week of acclimation, mice were divided randomly into four groups (n = 8 per group). Control group, SiO2 group, SiO2 and low dose of DHQ group (DHQ-L, 10 mg/kg) as well as large dose of DHQ group (DHQ-H, 50 mg/kg).

Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were purchased from Hubei University of Medicine (Shiyan, China). The SiO2-induced mouse pulmonary fibrosis model was performed. In brief, each group of mice was anesthetized with 1% pentobarbital sodium intraperitoneally at 40 mg/kg body weight and their tracheae had been surgically exposed. In addition, SiO2 suspension (20 mg in 50 ul saline) was instilled in the mice. The vehicle control groups were given an equivalent amount of 0.9% sterile saline. After one week of acclimation, mice were divided randomly into four groups (n = 8 per group). Control group, SiO2 group, SiO2 and low dose of DHQ group (DHQ-L, 10 mg/kg) as well as large dose of DHQ group (DHQ-H, 50 mg/kg).

6-8-week-old, 20 ± 2 g, male ICR mice, obtained from Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing, China), were randomly divided into five groups (n = 8 per group). Mouse model of chronic liver fibrosis was established by 10% carbon tetrachloride (CCl4, 0.5 ml/100 g body weight) injection. Groups are follows: (1) Control group was intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with olive oil; (2) Model group was i.p. injected with 10% CCl4 every other day a week for 8 weeks; (3) Low-dose artesunate treatment groups were i.p. injected by CCl4 every other day a week for 8 weeks and daily i.p. injected by 50 mg/kg artesunate for last 4 weeks; (4) Middle-dose artesunate treatment groups were i.p. injected by CCl4 every other day a week for 8 weeks and daily i.p. injected by 100 mg/kg artesunate for last 4 weeks; (5) High-dose artesunate treatment groups were i.p. injected by CCl4 every other day a week for 8 weeks and daily i.p. injected by 200 mg/kg artesunate for last 4 weeks.

Rats were injected with 4 mL/kg of chloral hydrate for anesthesia and then put on a stereotactic apparatus. Subsequently, the needle was tilted at 55 in the sagittal plane and fixed anterior to the bregma (7.5 mm). The needle tip was toward the right and lowered the anterior to the chiasma (2 mm). Finally, the nonheparinized autologous femoral arterial blood (0.3 mL) was injected into a prechiasmatic cistern using a syringe pump. Rat temperature was maintained at 37 ± 0.5 during the surgery. The rats in the sham group were injected with the same dose of saline into a prechiasmatic cistern. At last, rats were monitored for recovery and then returned to cages.