Fruiting body of Niuchangchih (Antrodia camphorata) protects livers against chronic alcohol consumption damage.
An alcoholic fatty liver disease was induced by drinking water containing 20% (w/w) alcohol. Therapeutic groups were orally administrated dosages of 0.25 g silymarin/kg body weight (BW) and a low dosage of Niuchangchih (Antrodia camphorata) (0.025 g/kg BW) and a high dosage of Niuchangchih (0.1 g/kg BW) per day. Niuchangchih, especially at the high dosage, not only showed a hypercholesterolemic effect (p < 0.05) but also reduced (p < 0.05) hepatic lipids in alcohol-fed rats. Those beneficial effects could be partially attributed to higher (p < 0.05) fecal cholesterol and bile acid outputs, as well as downregulations (p < 0.05) of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and malic enzyme gene expressions; meanwhile, there was an upregulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor and peroxisome proliferator-activated alpha gene expression. Besides, Niuchangchih also enhanced (p < 0.05) the liver glutathione, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and decreased the liver malondialdehyde content, which also partially contributed to the lowered (p < 0.05) serum aspartate aminotransferase levels and no observed lesion in the histological examination of alcohol-fed rats.
Huang
Chia-Hsin
CH
Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
Chang
Yuan-Yen
YY
Liu
Cheng-Wei
CW
Kang
Wen-Yu
WY
Lin
Yi-Ling
YL
Chang
Hsien-Chang
HC
Chen
Yi-Chen
YC
D000818:Animals; D055491:Antrodia / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D048690:Fruiting Bodies, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012838:Silymarin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D012838:Silymarin