ABSTRACT
This study investigated the effects of ginkgolide B on the long-chain fatty acid metabolism-related enzyme protein peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors α (PPARα), long-chain specific acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD), carnitine palmitoyl transterase-1 (CPT-1), and acyl coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1) expression in the liver of rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). All the animal welfare and experimental procedures are in accordance with the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. After successfully building the rat model of non-alcoholic abnormal liver disease, the rats were divided into the model group, the simvastatin group, and the low-dose, middle-dose, and high-dose groups of ginkgolide B according to random number method, and were given corresponding drug treatment 4 weeks. We detected liver pathological indicators and determined blood lipids, transaminase and anti-oxidation indexes. Western blot and RT-PCR assays were used to detect the protein and mRNA levels of PPARα, LCAD, CPT-1, and ACOX1 in livers. The results showed that: ① the liver histopathology showed that the liver slices of the model group had obvious structural disorder, the nucleus was squeezed, and there were obvious fat vacuoles. The treatment groups improved significantly compared with the model group; ② compared with the normal group, the liver function and blood lipid indexes of the model group increased significantly, while the anti-oxidation indexes decreased significantly. Compared with the model group, each treatment groups were significantly improved; ③ compared with the normal group, the protein and mRNA expression levels of PPARα, ACOX1, CPT-1, and LCAD in the model group were significantly reduced, compared with the model group, those indexes in the treatment groups were significantly up-regulated. This study found that ginkgolide B could regulate the expression of long-chain fatty acid metabolism-related proteins PPARα, ACOX1, CPT-1, and LCAD, meanwhile improve the body's antioxidant capacity, thereby reduce blood lipids, further improve liver function and protect the liver.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of gentiopicroside has a on rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by high-fat and high-sucrose diet, and explore its mechanism. Methods After 10 d adaptive feeding, 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, gentiopicroside low, medium, high dose treatment groups, and positive drug polyeno phosphoryl choline (PPC) intervention group. Except for the normal group, the rats in other groups were received a high fat and glucose diet for 12 weeks to establish NAFLD model; After model successfully established, gentiopicroside low, medium, and high dosetreatment groups were given 50, 100, and 200 mg/(kg•d) gentiopicroside, PPC group was ig given 23 mg/(kg•d) PPC, and 500 μL/(kg•d) saline was given to the normal and model groups. After treated for eight weeks, the rats were sacrificed, and the serum was collected from rats to detect the liver function, blood lipid, serum oxidation, antioxidant capacity, and inflammatory factors. HE staining was used to observe pathological changes of liver. In addition, western blotting and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression of AMPKα and p-AMPKα. Results HE staining showed that the size of liver cells in the normal group was uniform and the nuclei were evenly distributed, there were obvious vacuoles and a certain inflammatory reaction in the model group. Compared with the model group, gentiopicroside treatment group and PPC group (especially the gentiopicroside middle and high dose group) had a significant improvement, but there were still some differences compared with the normal group; Compared with the normal group, the AST, ALT, HDL-C, LDL-C, MDA, IL-1, and IL-6 in the model group were significantly increased (P 0.05); The results of Western blotting and qRT-PCR showed that compared with the normal group, the expression of p-AMPKα protein and AMPKα mRNA in the model group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). After gentiopicroside and PPC administration, they were significantly increased (P<0.05), and gentiopicroside groups showed a significant dose-dependent manner, and the middle dose and high dose of gentiopicroside groups were better than the PPC group (P<0.05), while the expression of AMPKα protein has no significant difference in each group (P<0.05). Conclusion The NAFLD rats showed a obvious hepatic fat infiltration and dyslipidemia, the liver function index and inflammatory factors levels were elevated, and the anti-oxidant capacity was decreased. Gentiopicroside significantly improved above symptoms, which may be associated with the increased expression of p-AMPKα in liver tissue of NAFLD rats by gentiopicroside.