title: Protective effect of Sam-Hwang-Sa-Sim-Tang against hepatic steatosis in mice fed a high-cholesterol diet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sam-Hwang-Sa-Sim-Tang (SHSST) is a traditional Oriental medication that has been commonly used in Korea for the treatment of hypertension, insomnia, and chest pain. In addition, some studies reported that administration of SHSST results suppression of hyperlipidemia in rats or lowering lipid plasma level such as total cholesterol (TC). Those results made us find and demonstrate positive effect of SHSST much more. The aim of the current study was to examine whether SHSST exerts an effect against hepatic steatosis and two type of SHSST has different efficacy on liver steatosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total 40 mice were divided randomly and equally into 4 groups: a normal diet (CON) group, high-cholesterol diet (HC) group, and treatment groups fed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) with a 30% or 80% ethanol extract of SHSST (SHSST-L and SHSST-H, respectively). The HCD was given for 9 weeks. The SHSST-treated groups were orally administered SHSST at a dose of 150 mg/kg, whereas the other groups received physiological saline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SHSST administration to mice resulted in a decline in serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Histological examination showed that lipid droplets were smaller in the SHSST-treated group than in the HC group. At the protein level, expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP-2) was suppressed by SHSST. In addition, the mRNA expression of cholesterol metabolism-related molecules such as SREBP-2, liver X receptor (LXR), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), and 3-hydroxy-3methylglutary-CoA (HMG-CoA) was also suppressed in SHSST-treated groups in the liver. In the aorta tissue, SHSST decreased the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, and fibronectin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicates that SHSST protects against liver steatosis and protects vessels against inflammation arising from excessive ingestion of cholesterol. These findings may also suggest that SHSST could be used as an adjuvant remedy for protection against liver steatosis.
authors.forename: Tae-Gue
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Joo-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Se-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.forename: Hyo-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of Presctiption, College of Oriental Medicine, Sangji University, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do 220-702, Republic of Korea. kook@sj.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yoon-Bum
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kook
mesh_terms: D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A; D015850:Interleukin-6; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C008047:3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A; D002784:Cholesterol