Asiatic acid ameliorates hepatic lipid accumulation and insulin resistance in mice consuming a high-fat diet.
Effects of asiatic acid (AA) at 10 or 20 mg/kg/day upon hepatic steatosis in mice consuming a high-fat diet (HFD) were examined. AA intake decreased body weight, water intake, feed intake, epididymal fat, and plasma and hepatic triglyceride levels in HFD-treated mice (P < 0.05). HFD enhanced 2.85-fold acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC1), 3.34-fold fatty acid synthase (FAS), 3.71-fold stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD)-1, 3.62-fold 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, 2.91-fold sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c, and 2.75-fold SREBP-2 expression in liver (P < 0.05). Compared with HFD groups, AA intake at two doses reduced 18.9-45.7% ACC1, 25.1-49.8% FAS, 24.7-57.1% SCD-1, and 21.8-53.3% SREBP-1c protein expression (P < 0.05). Histological results indicated AA intake at two doses reduced hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammatory infiltrate. HFD increased hepatic production of reactive oxygen species, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, as well as decreased hepatic glutathione content and glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities (P < 0.05). AA intake at two doses reversed these alterations (P < 0.05). AA intake suppressed 32.4-58.8% nuclear factor kappa (NF-κ)B p65 and 24.2-56.7% p-p38 expression (P < 0.05) and at high dose down-regulated 29.1% NF-κB p50 and 40.7% p-JNK expression in livers from HFD-treated mice. AA intake at two doses lowered plasma insulin secretion and HOMR-IR (P < 0.05). These results suggest that AA is a potent hepatic protective agent against HFD-induced hepatic injury.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Bing Show-Chwan Memorial Hospital , Changhua County, Taiwan.
Sheng-Lei
SL
Yan
Hui-Ting
HT
Yang
Yi-Ju
YJ
Lee
Chun-Che
CC
Lin
Ming-Hui
MH
Chang
Mei-Chin
MC
Yin
D000818:Animals; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D016328:NF-kappa B; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C017032:asiatic acid