Preventive Effects of <i>Ophiocordyceps </i><i>s</i><i>inensis </i>Mycelium on High-Fat Diet Induced Lipid Dysregulation and Hepatic Inflammation of Mice

Abstract

Dyslipidemia is regarded as one of risk factors related to cardiovascular disease and hepatosteatosis widely. Due to westernized diet habits and lifestyle changes, there is a high prevalence of those lipid-dysregulated diseases, i.e. fatty liver, hyperlipidemia, diabetes etc. However, the liver holds the lipid homeostasis so hepatoprotective nutraceuticals against high-fat diet (HFD) induced dyslipidemia may be potential for a public demand. This study demonstrated that OSM containing 10% polysaccharides and 0.25% adenosine can decrease (p<0.05) serum and liver triglyceride (TG) contents, and meanwhile, increased (p<0.05) fecal cholesterol (TC) levels in HFD fed mice. Moreover, Ophiocordyceps sinensis mycelium (OSM) also decreased (p<0.05) serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) levels and the atherosclerosis index (LDLC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC)) in HFD fed mice. Regarding the liver damage, OSM supplementation attenuated serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values, and liver tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in HFD fed mice. Taken together, OSM showed an ameliorative effect of the hepatosteatosis development and lipid-dysregulated-related diseases in a HFD habit.