title: Long-term baicalin administration ameliorates metabolic disorders and hepatic steatosis in rats given a high-fat diet.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Baicalin, one of the major flavonoids in Scutellaria baicalensis, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effects of baicalin on metabolic disorders and hepatic steatosis have not been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Body weight was examined in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats with or without baicalin treatment. At the end of the experiment, serum biochemical parameters, liver histology and lipid profile were analyzed to assess whether the animals were suffering from metabolic disorders or hepatic steatosis. In the liver, the phosphorylation of AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and the gene expression of some enzymes involved in lipogenesis were examined. The effects of baicalin on the phosphorylation of AMPK and lipid accumulation induced by high glucose in human hepatoma HepG2 cells were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baicalin (80 mg/kg) administered ip for 16 weeks suppressed body weight gain in HFD-fed rats. Weight reduction was accompanied by the reduction of visceral fat mass. Baicalin significantly decreased the elevated serum cholesterol, free fatty acid and insulin concentrations caused by the HFD. Baicalin also suppressed systemic inflammation by reducing the serum level of tumor necrosis factor alpha. Baicalin reduced hepatic lipid accumulation, enhanced the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC and down-regulated genes involved in lipogenesis, including fatty acid synthase and its upstream regulator SREBP-1c. In HepG2 cells, baicalin (5 and 10 micromol/L) increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and decreased lipid accumulation following the addition of high glucose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that baicalin might have beneficial effects on the development of hepatic steatosis and obesity-related disorders by targeting the hepatic AMPK.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hong-xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Dai-hua
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jin-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing-kang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Hong-li
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis / Q000737:chemistry; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005419:Flavonoids; C038044:baicalin; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases