[Electroacupuncture combined with lifestyle control on obese nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with lifestyle control on hepatic fat status, hepatic enzymology, glycolipid metabolism and anthropological parameters in patients with obese nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). METHODS: A total of 90 patients with obese NAFLD were randomized into an observation group (45 cases, 4 cases dropped off) and a control group (45 cases, 1 case dropped off). Lifestyle control was implemented in the control group. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, acupuncture was applied at Zhongwan (CV 12), Quchi (LI 11), Shuifen (CV 9), Huaroumen (ST 24), Daheng (SP 15), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), etc. EA was provided at Huaroumen (ST 24) and Daheng (SP 15) with dilatational wave, 2 Hz/100 Hz in frequency, 30 min each time, once every other day, 3 times a week. The treatment for 12 weeks was required in both of the two groups. Hepatic fat status [controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM)], hepatic enzymology [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT)], glycolipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity [fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting serum lisulin (FINS), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)] and anthropological parameters [body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), fat percentage (FP), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)] in the two groups were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: ①Compared before treatment, hepatic CAP, LSM, serum ALT, AST and GGT after treatment were obviously reduced in the two groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, CAP and ALT in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). ②Compared before treatment, FINS, HOMA-IR, LDL-C, TC and TG after treatment were obviously reduced in the two groups (P<0.05, P<0.01),while the levels of HDL-C were increased (P<0.05). Compared before treatment, FPG after treatment in the observation group was reduced (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, FINS, HOMA-IR, TC and TG in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after treatment (P<0.05). ③Compared before treatment, BW BMI, FP, WC, HC, WHR after treatment were obviously reduced in the two groups (P<0.01). After treatment, WC and WHR in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture combined with lifestyle control can effectively treat obese nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and present better therapeutic effect on hepatic fat status, glycolipid metabolism, insulin resistance, WC and WHR.

Extracts of Qizhu decoction inhibit hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in C57BL/6 mice by suppressing NF-κB signaling.

Hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma are serious human diseases. Here, we examined the in vivo and in vitro inhibitory effect of extracts of Qizhu decoction (a traditional Chinese medicine) on hepatitis caused by diethylnitrosamine or hepatitis B virus and on diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. The results showed that both the aqueous and ethanol extracts (QC and QS, respectively) of Qizhu decoction significantly inhibited hepatic inflammation and liver cancer induced by diethylnitrosamine or hepatitis B virus by suppressing NF-κB signaling and decreasing the levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß. Both QC and QS inhibited the proliferation and migration of primary cancer hepatocytes by reducing cyclin B1, cyclin D1 and N-cadherin expression and increasing E-cadherin expression. QC and QS also promoted the apoptosis of primary cancer hepatocytes by upregulating caspase-3 and downregulating BCL-2 expression. The knockdown of p65 in NF-κB signaling inhibited the ability of QC and QS to significantly reduce the colony formation ability of liver cancer cells. Additionally, QC and QS might significantly inhibit the DNA replication of hepatitis B virus in vivo and in vitro, and we found that corilagin and polydatin were the active compounds of QC and QS. Taken together, our in vitro findings and our results in C57BL/6 mice showed that extracts of Qizhu decoction might inhibit hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma by suppressing NF-κB signaling.