[Experimental study on effects of emodin on nonalcoholic fatty liver induced by high fat diet in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the therapeutic effect of emodin on nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) induced by high fat diet in rats.


METHODS
NAFL model was established by feeding with high fat diet for 12 weeks in 40 SD rats, confirmed by liver pathologic examination, which were randomly divided into 5 groups: the model control group the mere dietary treatment group (both with distilled water by gastrgarege), the low, moderate and high dose emodin groups treated with emodin 20,40 and 80 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) once per day respectively. Meanwhile a normal control group was used. The model control group was still fed with high fat diet while the other groups with normal diet. After 4 weeks, body weight, liver index (liver weight/body weight), hepatic function, blood lipid, hepatic lipid and histologic changes were assayed.


RESULTS
In the model control group,body weight, liver index, hepatic enzyme activities, serum lipid and hepatic triglyceride increased significantly (P <0. 05, or P <0. 01), serum high density lipoprotein-cholesterol( HDL-C)decreased (P <0.01 ), and moderate to severe hepatocyte steatosis was observed, while these indexes were all improved significantly in the 3 emodin groups; hepatic histologic changes were improved in the mere dietary treatment group, however, high level of ALT and hyperlipidemia persisted.


CONCLUSIONS
Emodin combined with dietary therapy is effective for NAFL rats induced by high fat diet.
Dong
Hui
H
Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medcine, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (430030). 13hui@sohu.com
Lu
Fu-er
FE
Gao
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
D000818:Animals; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000633:toxicity; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004642:Emodin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004642:Emodin