Artemisia annuaLeaf Extract Attenuates Hepatic Steatosis and Inflammation in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice

Abstract

Artemisia annua L. (AA) is a well-known source of the antimalarial drug artemisinin. AA also has an antibacterial and antioxidant activity. However, the effect of AA extract on hepatic steatosis induced by obesity is unclear. We investigated whether AA extract prevents obesity-induced insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Mice were randomly divided into groups that received a normal chow diet or HFD with or without AA for 12 weeks. We found that AA extract reduced insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in HFD-fed mice. Western blot analysis showed that HFD-induced expression of nuclear sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein in the livers was decreased by AA extract. In particular, dietary administration of AA extract decreased hepatic high-mobility group box 1 and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in HFD-fed mice. AA extract also attenuated HFD-induced collagen deposition and fibrosis-related transforming growth factor-β1 and connective tissue growth factor. These data indicate that dietary AA extract has beneficial effects on hepatic steatosis and inflammation in HFD-fed mice.

A novel berberine‐metformin hybrid compound exerts therapeutic effects on obese type 2 diabetic rats

“…Accordingly, inhibition of PPAR‐γ and C/EBP‐α can affect the growth and differentiation of adipocytes . On the other hand, SREBP‐1 c plays an essential role in lipid synthesis and metabolism by regulating its target lipogenic genes, including FAS , VLDLR and Scd 1 . In this study, our results showed that BMH473 may inhibit the adipogenesis and reduce the lipid accumulation in 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes, by downregulating the protein expression levels of PPAR‐Ɣ, C/EBP‐α and SREBP‐1 c, as well as the mRNA expression levels of VLDL , FAS and Scd 1 (Figure ).…”

“…56,57 On the other hand, SREBP-1 c plays an essential role in lipid synthesis and metabolism by regulating its target lipogenic genes, including FAS, VLDLR and Scd 1. [58][59][60][61][62] In this study, our results showed that BMH473 BMH473 demonstrated a significant hypoglycaemic activity by activating phosphorylation of AMPK-ACC, and then attenuating hepatic steatosis and gluconeogenesis in obese T2DM rats. In conclusion, BMH473 has the potential to be developed as an anti-diabetic drug, and offers an obvious advantage over anti-hyperlipidaemic therapy.…”

Toward Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Treatment; A Review on Herbal Medicine Treatment

“…These compounds exhibit extensive biological and medicinal applications such as anti-tumor, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and analgesic effects (125). Reviews have shown that many terpenoids compounds including betulinic acid, artemisinin, as well as ursolic acid gentiopicroside (126)(127) represented important roles to treat the NAFLD. deMelo et al (2009) demonstrated that betulinic acid by affecting the AMPK-SREBP signaling pathway (considerable decreases in hepatic AMPK phosphorylation, and improved activation of SREBP1) significantly decrease the hepatic lipid accumulation in mice (128).…”

Artemisia annua extract prevents ovariectomy-induced bone loss by blocking receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand-induced differentiation of osteoclasts

“…It is the source of artemisinin, an anti-malarial agent with a sesquiterpene trioxane lactone 21 . Because of the presence of flavonoids, essential oils, and sesquiterpene lactones, A. annua has anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-adipogenic, and anti-inflammatory activities 22 – 26 . Many studies have used artemisinin, isolated from A. annua , and its natural and semi-synthetic derivatives to develop more effective anti-malarial agents and to find new treatments for other diseases, including cancer 27 – 30 .…”