ABSTRACT
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic disorder of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and is often associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress, energy homeostasis dysregulation, and inflammation at cellular and molecular levels. Use of currently available anti-hyperlipidemia, hypoglycemia, or anti-inflammation drugs to treat NAFLD has not achieved desirable outcomes. A growing attention thus has been paid towards natural products as an alternative means in treating NALFD. Some of the natural products apparently possess the properties of ameliorating symptoms of NAFLD through restoration of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and energy homeostasis. Data from recent animal and human studies concerning the use of natural products in the treatment of NAFLD are analyzed, and the potential underlying mechanisms are discussed.
Subject(s)
Biological Products/therapeutic use , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy , Animals , Carbohydrate Metabolism/drug effects , Carbohydrate Metabolism/physiology , Energy Metabolism/drug effects , Energy Metabolism/physiology , Glucose/metabolism , Homeostasis/drug effects , Homeostasis/physiology , Humans , Lipid Metabolism/drug effects , Lipid Metabolism/physiology , Mitochondria, Liver/drug effects , Mitochondria, Liver/physiology , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/physiopathology , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Oxidative Stress/physiologyABSTRACT
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and is one of the most prevalent liver disorders worldwide. NAFLD can gradually progress to liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex, and no efficient pharmaceutic treatments have yet been established for NAFLD. Accumulating data have shown that the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays important roles not only in bile acid metabolism, but also in lipid and carbohydrate homeostasis, inflammatory responses, among others. In this review, we aim to highlight the role of FXR in the pathogenesis and treatment of NAFLD.
