Lycium barbarum polysaccharides therapeutically improve hepatic functions in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis rats and cellular steatosis model.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the possible therapeutic effects and active components of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on a high fat diet-induced NASH rat model. We induced NASH in a rat model by voluntary oral feeding with a high-fat diet ad libitum for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, 1 mg/kg LBP was orally administered for another 4 weeks with a high-fat diet. When compared with NASH rats treated for 12 weeks, therapeutic LBP treatment for 4 weeks during 12 weeks of NASH induction showed ameliorative effects on: (1) increased body and wet liver weights; (2) insulin resistance and glucose metabolic dysfunction; (3) elevated level of serum aminotransferases; (4) fat accumulation in the liver and increased serum free fatty acid (FFA) level; (5) hepatic fibrosis; (6) hepatic oxidative stress; (7) hepatic inflammatory response; and (8) hepatic apoptosis. These improvements were partially through the modulation of transcription factor NF-κB, MAPK pathways and the autophagic process. In a palmitate acid-induced rat hepatocyte steatosis cell-based model, we also demonstrated that l-arabinose and β-carotene partially accounted for the beneficial effects of LBP on the hepatocytes. In conclusion, LBP possesses a variety of hepato-protective properties which make it a potent supplementary therapeutic agent against NASH in future clinical trials.

• Authors: Jia Xiao, Feiyue Xing, Jie Huo, Man Lung Fung, Emily C Liong, Yick Pang Ching, Aimin Xu, Raymond Chuen Chung Chang, Kwok Fai So, George L Tipoe
• Journal: Scientific reports (Sci Rep) Vol. 4 Pg. 5587 (Jul 07 2014) ISSN: 2045-2322 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24998389 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Obesity Agents
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• lycium barbarum polysaccharide
• beta Carotene
• Arabinose

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Obesity Agents (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis
• Arabinose (pharmacology)
• Autophagy
• Cell Survival
• Cells, Cultured
• Diet, High-Fat (adverse effects)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (pharmacology)
• Female
• Hepatocytes (drug effects)
• Insulin Resistance
• Lipid Metabolism (drug effects)
• Liver (drug effects, pathology)
• MAP Kinase Signaling System
• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (drug therapy, etiology)
• Obesity (drug therapy)
• Oxidative Stress
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• beta Carotene (pharmacology)