title: Inhibitory effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on fatty liver: regulation of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a and fatty acid metabolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on the prevention and treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (the control group, GBE group, high-fat diet [HFD] group and HFD + GBE group). The human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2) was treated with GBE and its flavonoid ingredients. The fatty acid composition of the rat liver was analyzed with gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/TOFMS). Triglyceride contents of both the rat liver and HepG2 cells were measured by enzymatic colorimetric method. The expressions of fatty acid metabolism-related genes were analyzed with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The protein expression and enzymatic activity were subsequently measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In rat livers, GBE reduced the elevations of hepatic triglyceride contents caused by HFD and the increased hepatic fatty acids were differentially affected by GBE. Notably, the expression and total activity of the fatty acid β-oxidation rate-limiting enzyme, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (CPT1A), were also promoted with GBE ingestion. In HepG2 cells, GBE and its ingredients, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, could decrease the cellular triglyceride content and upregulate the expression and total activity of CPT1A, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The triglyceride-lowering effect of GBE on the HFD rat liver is closely associated with the increased expression and activity of CPT1A, and the flavonoid ingredients are the major contributors of GBE.
authors.affiliation: Center for Chinese Medical Therapy and Systems Biology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shi Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zuo Quan
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Ai Hua
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qing Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D044949:Kaempferols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D044949:Kaempferols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; C047368:3-methylquercetin; C006552:kaempferol; D011794:Quercetin; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase