The identification of material basis of Si Miao Formula effective for attenuating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Mechanistic evaluation of Jiu Wei Qing Zhi Gao in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: insights from network Pharmacology and experimental validation

CONTEXT

Jiu Wei Qing Zhi Gao (JWQZG), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation, is widely utilized in China for managing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to elucidate the therapeutic mechanisms of JWQZG in the management of NAFLD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Network pharmacology was employed to predict the potential mechanisms of JWQZG in NAFLD management. In vivo experiments were conducted using C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks, followed by treatment with JWQZG at three dosages (1.85, 3.7, and 7.4 g/kg/day) or metformin (150 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. In vitro studies utilized HepG2 cells exposed to 0.5 mM palmitic acid (PA) for 24 h to establish an NAFLD model, followed by exposure to JWQZG-containing serum at three concentrations for an additional 24 h. Western blot analysis was used to analyze the expression levels of key signaling pathway components.

RESULTS

Results of network pharmacology analysis identified the insulin signaling pathway as a potential mediator of the protective effects of JWQZG in NAFLD. Treatment with JWQZG markedly reduced hepatic steatosis and improved insulin resistance. This was accompanied by enhanced expression of key components in the insulin signaling pathway, including insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), phosphorylated PI3K (p-PI3K), phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), and phosphorylated GSK3β (p-GSK3β), compared to the NAFLD model group.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide robust evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of JWQZG in NAFLD and its modulation of the insulin signaling pathway. Furthermore, the study offers valuable insights for the discovery of anti-NAFLD compounds derived from TCM formulations.

Chinese herbal formula in the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: current evidence and practice

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, continues to rise with rapid economic development and poses significant challenges to human health. No effective drugs are clinically approved. MASLD is regarded as a multifaceted pathological process encompassing aberrant lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, inflammation, gut microbiota imbalance, apoptosis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. In recent decades, herbal medicines have gained increasing attention as potential therapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of MASLD, due to their good tolerance, high efficacy, and low toxicity. In this review, we summarize the pathological mechanisms of MASLD; emphasis is placed on the anti-MASLD mechanisms of Chinese herbal formula (CHF), especially their effects on improving lipid metabolism, inflammation, intestinal flora, and fibrosis. Our goal is to better understand the pharmacological mechanisms of CHF to inform research on the development of new drugs for the treatment of MASLD.

Intestinal flora study reveals the mechanism of Danggui Shaoyao San and its decomposed recipes to improve cognitive dysfunction in the rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by a severe decline in cognitive function, significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) presents notable advantages in AD treatment, closely linked to its regulation of intestinal flora. Nevertheless, a comprehensive exploration of the precise role of intestinal flora in AD remains lacking.

Methods

We induced an AD model through bilateral intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin in rats. We divided 36 rats randomly into 6 groups: sham-operated, model, Danggui Shaoyao San (DSS), and 3 DSS decomposed recipes groups. Cognitive abilities were assessed using water maze and open field experiments. Nissl staining examined hippocampal neuron integrity. Western blot analysis determined synaptoprotein expression. Additionally, 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing analyzed intestinal flora composition.

Results

DSS and its decomposed recipe groups demonstrated improved learning and memory in rats (P<0.01). The open field test indicated increased central zone residence time and locomotor activity distance in these groups (P<0.05). Furthermore, the DSS and decomposed recipe groups exhibited reduced hippocampal neuronal damage and increased expression levels of synapsin I (P<0.05) and PSD95 (P<0.01) proteins. Alpha and Beta diversity analyses showed that the intestinal flora species richness and diversity in the DSS and decomposed recipe groups were similar to those in the sham-operated group, signifying a significant restorative effect (P<0.05).

Conclusion

The combination of DSS and its decomposed recipes can reduce the abundance of harmful gut microbiota, leading to improvements in cognitive and learning abilities.