Royal jelly attenuates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by inhibiting oxidative stress and regulating the expression of circadian genes in ovariectomized rats

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a high incidence in postmenopausal women and is accompanied by insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Royal jelly (RJ), a natural substance derived from hive, possesses numerous health‐beneficial properties. Here, we evaluated the effects of RJ (150, 300, and 450 mg kg–1 day–1, 8 weeks) on NAFLD in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Based on the results, RJ ameliorated the degree of anxiety, improved serum lipid profile, and attenuated the hepatic steatosis and liver injury in OVX rats. Furthermore, the protective effects of RJ could be attributed to its antioxidant properties, which enhance the levels of hepatic antioxidant enzymes. The qRT‐PCR results also suggest that RJ improves the disturbances of circadian genes by downregulating their expression, including that of Per1 and Per 2, in the liver of OVX rats. Altogether, our findings suggest that RJ may be a promising agent for the treatment of NAFLD. Practical applications Postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of NAFLD. Currently, there are no licensed therapies for NAFLD. Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is reported to inhibit the development of NAFLD, it causes unexpected adverse effects. As HRT is controversial, the use of natural supplements to counteract the detrimental effects of menopause has recently attracted more attention. RJ is a natural product secreted from the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker bees. The present study illustrates the protective effect of the natural product, RJ, and its underlying mechanisms on NAFLD. This is the first study to assess the effect of RJ on NAFLD under estrogen deficiency. Such findings contribute to the further utilization of RJ, which might serve as a promising therapeutic option and natural food for the treatment of NAFLD.

Activation of AMPK Entails the Protective Effect of Royal Jelly against High-Fat-Diet-Induced Hyperglycemia, Hyperlipidemia, and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats

“…Yet, the mechanism by which RJ could exert its hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects is still not known. In previous research, the authors have shown the ability to increase the doses of RJ (150, 300, and 450 mg/kg) to alleviate NAFLD in rats and have attributed this to its antioxidant ability and regulation of circadian genes, including Per1 and Per 2, in the livers of ovariectomized rats [ 57 ]. In another study, the authors referred to the protective effect of RJ against NAFLD due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, as well as regulating the metabolism of FAs such as α-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids [ 58 ].…”

Effects of Sheep Bone Collagen Peptide on Liver Lipid Deposition in Ovariectomized Rats

“…Ovariectomy can cause estrogen deficiency in rats and is often used to develop an LLD model (22)(23)(24). After ovariectomy, body weight and FFA content were significantly higher in the model group than in the sham group (p, 0.05), and the accumulation of LD in liver cells was apparent, which suggests that the LLD model was successfully established in this study.…”

Current Status of the Bioactive Properties of Royal Jelly: A Comprehensive Review with a Focus on Its Anticancer, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antioxidant Effects

“…All these positive effects occurred due to the antioxidant effect of RJ and can be attributed to diverse biological mechanisms, among which the most important may be the capacity of RJ to increase the enzymatic activity of antioxidant enzymes specific to the liver, therefore reducing the levels of oxidative stress. The author’s discovery indicates that a potential natural treatment alternative for this liver disorder can be represented by RJ, by means of its strong antioxidant effect [ 116 ].…”