Aqueous Extract of Pepino (Solanum muriactum Ait) Leaves Ameliorate Lipid Accumulation and Oxidative Stress in Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

Chronic alcohol intake leads to alcoholic fatty liver. The pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver is related to abnormal lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, endotoxins, and cytokines. Solanum muricatum Ait. (Pepino) is a plant food commonly cultivated in the Penghu island, Taiwan. Previous studies indicated that the aqueous extract of pepino was able to attenuate diabetic progression via its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the mechanisms of the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of pepino leaf in preventing alcoholic fatty liver remain unknown. In this study, Lieber–DeCarli ethanol-containing liquid diet was used to induce alcoholic hepatic injury in C57BL/6 mice. The hepatoprotective effects and the related mechanisms of aqueous extract of pepino leaf (AEPL) were examined. Our results showed that 2% AEPL treatments protected the liver from ethanol-induced injury through reducing serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) (all p < 0.05). AEPL had the effects in improving the ethanol-induced lipid accumulation in mice under histological examination. Molecular data indicated that the anti-lipid accumulation effect of AEPL might be mediated via inducing hepatic levels of phospho-adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase (p-AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α, and reducing the expressions of hepatic lipogenic enzymes, including sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) (all p < 0.05). AEPL also decreased hepatic levels of thiobarbituric acid relative substances (TBARS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6, as well as the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) (all p < 0.05). Moreover, AEPL significantly elevated the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione (GSH) content compared to the ethanol-fed group (all p < 0.05). Our present study suggests that AEPL could protect the liver against ethanol-induced oxidative injury and lipid accumulation.

Influence of Alcohol Consumption on Body Mass Gain and Liver Antioxidant Defense in Adolescent Growing Male Rats

“…Though a decrease in weight gain was not observed for the groups receiving alcoholic beverages in our study, some studies have reported this to be caused by prolonged alcohol intake [24,25,26], including the murine studies [27]. Milat et al [28] reported similar observations in a rat model, wherein one-month and three-month-old male rats received white wine (13% ethanol) for four weeks and a significantly lower body mass was recorded in comparison with their control group.…”

Effects of Portulaca Oleracea Extract on Acute Alcoholic Liver Injury of Rats

“…Acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) is a rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes the first step of fatty acid synthesis and metabolism and plays an important role in the lipid metabolism. ACC1 is mainly expressed in liver and catalyzes the synthesis of long-chain fatty acids, thereby promoting the progression of hepatic steatosis [60,61,62]. In our study, POE prevented the ethanol-induced liver injury by decreasing the expression of miR-122, ACC1 mRNA and protein, and increasing the expression of LPL-mRNA and protein in rats.…”

Effect of the Chinese Medicine YangZheng XiaoJi on Reducing Fatigue in Mice with Orthotopic Transplantation of Colon Cancer

“…Diterpenoid alkaloids and 6-methoxynaringenin in the Scutellaria barbata extracts had the strongest effect on downregulating the secretion of NO, PE2, IL-6, IL-1 β induced by LPS and P-JNK signaling pathway activation [42–44]. Moreover, the water extracts of Bittersweet herb and Herba artemisiae scopariae can alleviate inflammation by inhibition of NF- κ B pathway that reduces the generation of proinflammatory cytokines like IL-1 β and IL-6 [45–47]. Other components in YAXJ such as Astragalus membranaceus have the effects of invigorating Qi, generating Yang, strengthening exterior, and stopping sweating, often used for the rehabilitation of patients with weak constitution.…”