The aim of the study was to investigate the protective effects of
ruscogenin, a major
steroid sapogenin in Ophiopogon japonicus, on experimental models of
nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. HepG2 cells were exposed to 300 μmol/l
palmitic acid (PA) for 24 h with the preincubation of
ruscogenin for another 24 h.
Ruscogenin (10.0 μmol/l) had inhibitory effects on PA-induced
triglyceride accumulation and inflammatory markers in HepG2 cells. Male golden hamsters were randomly divided into five groups fed a normal diet, a high-fat diet (HFD), or a HFD supplemented with
ruscogenin (0.3, 1.0, or 3.0 mg/kg/day) by gavage once daily for 8 weeks.
Ruscogenin alleviated
dyslipidemia,
liver steatosis, and necroinflammation and reversed plasma markers of
metabolic syndrome in HFD-fed hamsters. Hepatic
mRNA levels involved in
fatty acid oxidation were increased in
ruscogenin-treated HFD-fed hamsters. Conversely,
ruscogenin decreased expression of genes involved in hepatic lipogenesis. Gene expression of inflammatory
cytokines, chemoattractive mediator, nuclear
transcription factor-(NF-) κB, and α-smooth muscle actin were increased in the HFD group, which were attenuated by
ruscogenin.
Ruscogenin may attenuate HFD-induced
steatohepatitis through downregulation of NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses, reducing hepatic lipogenic gene expression, and upregulating
proteins in β-oxidation pathway.