Improvement of emodin on acute fatty liver in mice / 中国药科大学学报

ABSTRACT

To observe the effects of emodin ( Emo) on acute fatty liver in mice induced by DL-ethionine ( DL-Eth) or tetracyclin ( Tetra) and its potential mechanism, ICR mice of acute fatty liver model induced by DL-Eth were orally administered with Emo or positive control, ursodeoxycholic acid ( UDCA) for 7 days. On day 7, except that the control and Emo groups were treated with vehicle control, animals were orally administered with DL-Eth to induce acute fatty liver model. ICR mice of acute fatty liver model induced by Tetra were orally administered with Emo or positive control, Dong Bao Gan Tai ( DB) or total flavonoid C-glycosides from Abrus mollis extract ( AME) for 7 days. From day 4, except that the control group was treated with vehicle control, animals were injec-ted with Tetra intraperitoneally for 4 days to induce acute fatty liver model. Liver histopathological analyses were determined by HE staining. Serum aspartate transaminase ( AST) , alanine transaminase ( ALT) , serum triglyceride ( TG) , hepatic TG and hepatic total cholesteol ( TC) were detected. The expression of phosphorylated AMP-activa-ted kinase ( p-AMPK) , phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase ( p-ACC) , SREBP1 and fatty acid synthase ( FAS) were determined by Western blot. The expression of fatty acid translocase ( CD36 ) , peroxisome proliferator activa-ted receptor alpha ( PPARα) and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein ( MTTP ) in liver were determined by RT-PCR. Compared with model groups, Emo could improve hepatocyte swelling and hepatic steatosis induced by DL-Eth or Tetra. Serum AST, ALT, serum TG, hepatic TG and hepatic TC were decreased by Emo significantly. DL-Eth-induced increase of fatty acid synthetase-associated protein was down-regulated by Emo. Fatty acid uptake was down-regulated by Emo; fatty acid oxidation and secretion were increased by Emo. Emo might be effective in preventing acute fatty liver in mice induced by DL-Eth or Tetra.