Pomegranate flower ameliorates fatty liver in an animal model of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
OBJECTIVE
Fatty liver is the most common cause of abnormal liver function tests. We investigated the effect and its underlying mechanism of pomegranate flower (PGF), a traditional antidiabetic medicine, on fatty liver.


METHODS
At the endpoint of treatment of male Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats with PGF extract (500 mg/kg, p.o. x 6 weeks), liver weight index, hepatic lipid contents (enzymatic colorimetric methods) and droplet accumulation (Oil Red O staining) were determined. Gene profiles (RT-PCR) were analyzed in the liver of ZDF rats and in human liver-derived HepG2 cell line.


RESULTS
PGF-treated ZDF rats showed reduced ratio of liver weight to tibia length, hepatic triglyceride contents and lipid droplets. These effects were accompanied by enhanced hepatic gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha, carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 and acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO), and reduced stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1. In contrast, PGF showed minimal effects on expression of genes responsible for synthesis, hydrolysis or uptake of fatty acid and triglycerides. PGF treatment also increased PPAR-alpha and ACO mRNA levels in HepG2 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that this Unani medicine ameliorates diabetes and obesity-associated fatty liver, at least in part, by activating hepatic expression of genes responsible for fatty acid oxidation.
Xu
Kevin Zhe-Yang
KZ
Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Zhu
Chenchen
C
Kim
Moon Sun
MS
Yamahara
Johji
J
Li
Yuhao
Y
D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D035264:Flowers; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker
D047493:PPAR alpha; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger