Therapeutic Effects of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum L.) and Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Background. At present, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) does not have an approved pharmacologic therapy. The present study investigated the protective effects and possible mechanisms of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) and artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) in treating NAFLD in type 2 diabetic rats. Methods. The NAFLD was established in rats after four weeks of type 2 diabetes induction. The animals were treated with pharmaceutical preparations of milk thistle (Livergol®) and artichoke (Atheromod-B®) extracts for eight weeks. After the end of the intervention, oral glucose tolerance, the serum parameters of oxidative stress, liver functional tests, and lipid profiles were evaluated. Histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results. Treatment with preparations of milk thistle and artichoke nonsignificantly improved glucose tolerance in diabetic rats. Both preparations significantly improved serum superoxide dismutase activity and the level of malondialdehyde. Although treatment with milk thistle reduced serum activity of aspartate aminotransferase and serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, artichoke extracts only attenuated the serum level of TG. Milk thistle also effectively protected the liver from histological changes. Conclusions. Milk thistle could be a promising pharmacological option for the treatment of NAFLD. Nonetheless, long-term randomized clinical trials are necessary to confirm the observed results.

Silymarin, Silybum marianum, Supplemented Weaning Diet Boosted Survival, Growth, Antioxidant Status, and Fatty Acids Profile of Seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax

“…The biological activities of SM include hepatoprotective (Denev et al, 2020), anticancer (Choe et al, 2020), anti-inflammatory (Fanoudi et al, 2020), immunomodulatory (Valková et al, 2021), neuroprotective (Badreddine et al, 2020) and lactogenic agent (Valková et al, 2021) in several animal species. The SM dietary supplementation had favorable effects described in mammals and birds on enhancing physiological and nutritional status over the last few decades (Doostkam et al, 2022;El Hassanen et al, 2021;Janocha et al, 2021;Stastnik et al, 2020).…”

Preventive and Therapeutic Effects of Silybum marianum Seed Extract Rich in Silydianin and Silychristin in a Rat Model of Metabolic Syndrome

“…Using an established LC–MS analysis protocol, the SMEE prepared and investigated in the present study was found to be rich in silydianin and silychristin (51.2%), whereas silybin was found to be present in a much lower amount (<10%). It is worth mentioning that all published studies on S. marianum extracts have been focusing on silymarin that is rich in silybin (50%). − ,,,− ,− Our findings may hint at yet unexplored effects of silydianin and silychristin, and therefore, more research should be concentrated on these understudied flavonolignans.…”

“…46 Also, it was demonstrated that this herbal plant can improve lipid profiles by decreasing the oxidative stress parameters that are elevated in hypercholesterolemia and by inhibiting lipid-peroxidation enzymes through flavonolignan constituents. 47 SMEE demonstrated preventive and therapeutic effects on glucose levels, as evidenced by lower FBS levels and improved results in OGTT. These findings are consistent with the antidiabetic potential of S. marianum extracts observed in previous studies.…”

“…In another study, silymarin was found to improve renal function, and it protected the liver and pancreas against protein damage without affecting hyperglycemia in diabetic animals . Also, it was demonstrated that this herbal plant can improve lipid profiles by decreasing the oxidative stress parameters that are elevated in hypercholesterolemia and by inhibiting lipid-peroxidation enzymes through flavonolignan constituents …”

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) water extract alleviates palmitate-induced insulin resistance in HepG2 hepatocytes via the activation of IRS1/PI3K/AKT/FoxO1 and GSK-3β signaling pathway

“…Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.), a member of the Asteraceae family, is commonly used as a healthy food and as a popular traditional herbal remedy to protect the liver function [17,18]. The active compounds identified in artichokes, including chlorogenic acid, cynarin, flavonoids and their derivatives, have attracted considerable attention for their multiple pharmacological functions, including antioxidant stress, hypolipidemic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects [19][20][21]. Our previous study showed that artichoke water extract (AWE) has an anti-IR effect in high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rats [22].…”