In the present study, the components of A. cinnamomea (AC) mycelia were systematically analyzed. Subsequently, its hepatoprotective effects and the underlying mechanisms were explored using a mouse model of acute alcohol-induced liver injury. AC contained 25 types of fatty acid, 16 types of amino acid, 3 types of nucleotide, and 8 types of mineral. The hepatoprotective effects were observed after 2 weeks of AC treatment at doses of 75 mg/kg, 225 mg/kg, and 675 mg/kg in the mouse model. These effects were indicated by the changes in the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, several oxidation-related factors, and inflammatory cytokines in serum and/or liver samples. AC reduced the incidence rate of necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, fatty droplets formation, and cell apoptosis in liver detecting via histological and TUNEL assay. In addition, AC reduced the expression of cleaved caspase-3, -8, and -9 and the levels of phosphor-protein kinase B (Akt) and phosphor-nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the liver samples. Collectively, AC-mediated hepatoprotective effects in a mouse model of acute alcohol-induced liver injury are the result of reduction in oxidative stress. This may be associated with Akt/NF-κB signaling. These results provide valuable evidence to support the use of A. cinnamomea as a functional food and/or medicine.

Canagliflozin ameliorated heart dysfunctions in HFD/ STZ-induced diabetic miceCanagliflozin inhibited lipotoxicity in palmitic acid-induced HL-1 cardiomyocytes mTOR-HIF-1a pathway mediated lipotoxicity in cardiomyocytes Canagliflozin bound to mTOR and inhibited mTOR-HIF-1a pathway

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Obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are highly prevalent and cause numerous metabolic diseases. However, drugs for the prevention and treatment of obesity and NAFLD remain unavailable. In this study, we investigated the effects of mogrosides (luo han guo, LH) in Siraitia grosvenorii saponins on high-fat-diet-induced obesity and NAFLD in mice. We found that compared with the negative control, LH reduced body and liver weight. LH also decreased fat accumulation and increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation (pAMPK) levels in mouse livers. We also found that high-purity mogroside V upregulated pAMPK expression in HepG2 cells. In addition, high-purity mogroside V inhibited reactive oxygen species production and upregulated sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1, p62) expression in THP-1 cells. These results suggest that LH may affect obesity and NAFLD by enhancing fat metabolism and antioxidative defenses. Mogroside V may be a main component of LH. However, the exact molecular mechanisms and active components responsible for the inhibitory effects of LH on obesity and NAFLD require further investigation.