title: Genistein Attenuates Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Increases Hepatic PPARγ in a Rat Model.
abstract: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has become a global chronic liver disease, but no effective medicine has been proven to cure it. This study investigated the protective effects of genistein, a phytoestrogen, on NASH and examined whether it has any effect on hepatic PPARγ. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control group fed ad libitum with standard rat diet, NASH group fed ad libitum with high-fat diet to induce NASH and NASH + Gen8 group and NASH + Gen16 group fed with high-fat diet plus intragastric administration of 8 or 16 mg/kg genistein once daily. After 6 weeks, liver samples were collected to determine MDA, TNF-α, PPARγ, and histopathology. The findings were that levels of hepatic MDA and TNF-α increased in NASH group, but 16 mg/kg genistein reduced these levels significantly. Downregulation of hepatic PPARγ was observed in NASH group, but genistein significantly upregulated the expression of PPARγ in both NASH + Gen groups. The histological appearance of liver in NASH group presented pathological features of steatohepatitis which were diminished in both NASH + Gen groups. The results suggest that genistein attenuates the liver histopathology of NASH with upregulation of hepatic PPARγ, reduction of oxidative stress, and inhibition of inflammatory cytokine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Warinda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Susutlertpanya
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Duangporn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Werawatganon
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Prasong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Siriviriyakul
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Naruemon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Klaikeaw