β-patchoulene protects against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis via interrupting the vicious circle among oxidative stress, histanoxia and lipid accumulation in rats

Terpenoids: Natural Compounds for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Therapy

Natural products have been the most productive source for the development of drugs. Terpenoids are a class of natural active products with a wide range of pharmacological activities and therapeutic effects, which can be used to treat a variety of diseases. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a common metabolic disorder worldwide, results in a health burden and economic problems. A literature search was conducted to obtain information relevant to the treatment of NAFLD with terpenoids using electronic databases, namely PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Springer, for the period 2011-2021. In total, we found 43 terpenoids used in the treatment of NAFLD. Over a dozen terpenoid compounds of natural origin were classified into five categories according to their structure: monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, and tetraterpenoids. We found that terpenoids play a therapeutic role in NAFLD, mainly by regulating lipid metabolism disorder, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The AMPK, PPARs, Nrf-2, and SIRT 1 pathways are the main targets for terpenoid treatment. Terpenoids are promising drugs and will potentially create more opportunities for the treatment of NAFLD. However, current studies are restricted to animal and cell experiments, with a lack of clinical research and systematic structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. In the future, we should further enrich the research on the mechanism of terpenoids, and carry out SAR studies and clinical research, which will increase the likelihood of breakthrough insights in the field.

Biological Mechanisms and Related Natural Inhibitors of CD36 in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a spectrum of liver disorders from non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to the more severe non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is the leading etiology of chronic liver disease and its global prevalence is increasing. Hepatic steatosis, a condition marked by an abnormal buildup of triglycerides in the liver, is the precursor to NAFLD. Differentiated cluster 36 (CD36), a scavenger receptor class B protein, is a membrane receptor that recognizes multiple lipid and non-lipid ligands. It is generally agreed that CD36 contributes significantly to hepatic steatosis by taking part in fatty acid uptake as well as triglyceride storage and secretion. While there has not been any conclusive research on how CD36 inhibitors prevent NAFLD from progressing and no clinically approved CD36 inhibitors are currently available for use in NAFLD, CD36 remains a target worthy of further investigation in NAFLD. In recent years, the potential role of natural products acting through CD36 in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has attracted much attention. This paper offers an overview of the pathogenesis of CD36 in NAFLD and summarizes some of the natural compounds or extracts that are currently being investigated for modulating NAFLD via CD36 or the CD36 pathway, providing an alternative approach to the development of CD36-related drugs in NAFLD.

Plant-derived bioactive compounds regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome to treat NAFLD

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a liver disorder characterized by abnormal accumulation of hepatic fat and inflammatory response with complex pathogenesis. Over activation of the pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome triggers the secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, induces pyroptosis, and promotes the release of a large number of pro-inflammatory proteins. All of which contribute to the development of NAFLD. There is a great deal of evidence indicating that plant-derived active ingredients are effective and safe for NAFLD management. This review aims to summarize the research progress of 31 active plant-derived components (terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenols) that alleviate lipid deposition, inflammation, and pyroptosis by acting on the NLRP3 inflammasome studied in both in vitro and in vivo NAFLD models. These studies confirmed that the NLRP3 inflammasome and its related genes play a key role in NAFLD amelioration, providing a starting point for further study on the correlation of plant-derived compounds treatment with the NLRP3 inflammasome and NAFLD.