Previous epidemiological and histopathological studies have demonstrated that long-term computation of Kweichow Moutai liquor (Moutai) could induce
fatty liver disease but few of these patients with
fatty liver will develop hepatic
fibrosis or
cirrhosis. Moutai liquor has a different brewing technique from other white wine, which may generate various microorganisms in the unique geographical conditions and may produce plenty of
vitamins,
amino acids, and several essential microelements. In the current study, we evaluated the potential protective effect of Moutai liquor in alcohol-induced
liver fibrosis mouse model. Both in vivo and in vitro studies were performed for exploring the possible mechanisms in suppressing
liver fibrosis by Moutai. We demonstrated that Moutai treatment induced hepatic stellate cell (HSC) apoptosis and suppressed
collagen deposition, as well as attenuated hepatic
fibrosis. The antifibrosis mechanism of Moutai was possibly related with the inhibition of Kupffer cell and HSC activation via suppressing NFκB nuclear translocation and preventing the expression of pro-inflammatory
cytokines. It is worth noting that although Moutai attenuates
liver fibrosis, it still causes
lipid metabolic abnormalities in mouse liver and induces
fatty liver. Kweichow Moutai may ameliorate alcohol-induced
liver fibrosis in mice by targeting the NFκB pathway.