Crataegus aronia prevents high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis in rats by activating AMPK-induced suppression of SREBP1 and activation of PPARα

Polysaccharides from hawthorn fruit alleviate high-fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice by improving gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic metabolic disorder

BACKGROUND

Hawthorn fruit, renowned as both a functional food and herbal medicine with lipid-lowering effects, is abundant in polysaccharides. However, there is limited research on the effects and mechanisms of hawthorn fruit polysaccharides (HP) in addressing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate the effects of HP on NAFLD both in vivo and in vitro, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which HP exerts its anti-NAFLD activity.

METHODS

NAFLD mice induced by a high-fat diet were employed as the in vivo model, while oleate/palmitate-induced HepG2 cells served as the in vitro model. H&E and Oil Red O staining were employed to examine fat accumulation in hepatocytes. Serum aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured using corresponding ELISA kits. Hepatic metabolomics analysis based on UHPLC-QTOF/MS was utilized to examine the role of HP in improving hepatic metabolic disorders. 16S rRNA sequencing was conducted to explore the effect of HP in alleviating gut microbiota dysbiosis. GC-MS was applied to detect short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) to clarify the impact of HP in NAFLD mice.

RESULTS

HP significantly inhibited weight gain and hepatic fat accumulation in NAFLD mice. The reduction in serum ALT and AST levels indicated that HP mitigated liver function damage, while the decreased MDA levels and increased SOD activity suggested that HP alleviated hepatic oxidative stress. Furthermore, HP diminished the release of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-6 in the liver. HP significantly regulated metabolic pathways related to amino acids, lipids, and vitamins. Key metabolites such as l-tyrosine, urocanic acid, undecanedioic acid, oleamide, vitamin A, and vitamin B7 were restored to near-normal levels under the regulatory effects of HP. Gut microbiota dysbiosis in NAFLD mice was also ameliorated by HP, with genera such as unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae and Dubosiella being notably affected. Correlation analysis indicated a significant correlation between the regulatory effects of HP on liver metabolism and gut microbiota. Additionally, HP showed no effect in vitro but increased acetic acid level in the gut of NAFLD mice.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate that HP exhibits its anti-NAFLD effects, including alleviating lipid accumulation, liver dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Mechanistically, HP primarily improves gut microbiota dysbiosis, thereby elevating intestinal SCFA levels and restoring hepatic metabolic disorders in NAFLD mice.

Exploration of potential mechanism of Sanhua Jiangzhi granules for the treatment of hyperlipidemia based on network pharmacology and experimental verification

Sanhua Jiangzhi Granules (SJG) is a traditional Chinese patent medicine known for regulating lipid metabolism. In this study, we utilized UPLC-TOF-MS to analyze the components of SJG and, in conjunction with network pharmacology, identified 125 core chemical constituents. These components were individually queried and intersected with targets related to hyperlipidemia, resulting in the identification of 312 core targets. KEGG and GO analyses suggested that the mechanism of SJG in treating hyperlipidemia may primarily involve the PPAR signaling pathway. To further validate the efficacy and underlying signaling mechanisms of SJG, we conducted experiments using 60 rats. The results indicated that SJG significantly reduced body weight, lowered serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) levels. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results demonstrated that SJG decreased hepatic TC and TG levels and mitigated lipid accumulation in the liver. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining indicated that SJG improved liver pathological morphology and reduced the risk of fatty liver disease. Western blot analyses showed that treatment with SJG down-regulated the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP), and fatty acid-binding protein 1 (FABP1), while up-regulating the expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1), and PPARα by activating the PPAR signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that SJG activates the PPAR signaling pathway, leading to decreased body weight, lowered blood lipid levels, reduced hepatic TC and TG, and improved liver pathology in rats.

Liquorice root extract and isoliquiritigenin attenuate high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis and damage in rats by regulating AMPK

Objective: This study compared the ability of Liquorice roots aqueous extract (LRE) and its ingredient, isoliquiritigenin (ISL), in alleviating high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis and examined if this effect involves activation of AMPK.Materials and methods: Control or HFD-fed rats were treated with the vehicle, LRE (200 mg/kg), or ISL (30 mg/kg) for 8 weeks orally.Results: ISL and LRE reduced HFD-induced hyperglycaemia, improved liver structure, lowered serum and hepatic lipids, and attenuated hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation. In the control and HFD-fed rats, ISL and LRE significantly stimulated the muscular and hepatic mRNA and protein levels of AMPK, improved oral glucose tolerance, reduced hepatic mRNA levels of SREBP1/2, and upregulated hepatic levels of PPARα and Bcl2. These effects were comparable for ISL and LRE and were prevented by co-administration of compound C, an AMPK inhibitor.Discussion and conclusion: ISL and LRE provide an effective theory to alleviate hepatic steatosis through activating AMPK.

Metabolome combined with gut microbiome revealed the lipid-lowering mechanism of Xuezhiping capsule on hyperlipidemic hamster induced by high fat diet

Introduction: Hyperlipidemia is a common metabolic disorder with presence of excess fat or lipids in the blood, may induce liver injury, oxidative stress and inflammatory. Xuezhiping capsule (XZP) is a famous Chinese patent medicine clinically used for anti-hyperlipidemia. However, the regulation mechanism of XZP on hyperlipidemia has not been elucidated so far. Methods: This study aimed to explore the effects of XZP on hypolipidemic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and the potential mechanism by a combination of untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: The results indicated that XZP reduced the level of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), increased the level of high density liptein cholesterol (HDL-C), alleviated excessive accumulation of lipid droplets in liver. Biochemical indexes of liver function including gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) in liver were remarkably decreased. Meanwhile, XZP increased the level of oxidative stress biochemical indexes including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH). In addition, XZP increased the level of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors α (PPARα), acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACOX1) and cholesterol 7-alpha hydroxylase (CYP7A1) in liver, and improved lipid metabolism in serum, liver and fecal lipid metabolism. XZP increased diversity index and the ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, regulated seventeen genera, and illustrated strong correlations with liver lipid metabolism and phenotypic indicators. Discussion: These findings suggest that XZP reduced blood lipid and liver lipid, protected liver function, anti inflammation and anti-oxidation, ameliorate lipid metabolic disorders by modulating alpha linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolism, bile acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and regulated gut microbiota composition of high-fat diet (HFD) hamsters.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Pathogenesis and Natural Products for Prevention and Treatment

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease, affecting approximately one-quarter of the global population, and has become a world public health issue. NAFLD is a clinicopathological syndrome characterized by hepatic steatosis, excluding ethanol and other definite liver damage factors. Recent studies have shown that the development of NAFLD is associated with lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and lipotoxicity. A range of natural products have been reported as regulators of NAFLD in vivo and in vitro. This paper reviews the pathogenesis of NAFLD and some natural products that have been shown to have therapeutic effects on NAFLD. Our work shows that natural products can be a potential therapeutic option for NAFLD.