title: Hawthorn leaf flavonoids alleviate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by enhancing the adiponectin/AMPK pathway.
abstract: Hawthorn (Crataeguspinnatifida) belongs to the genus Rosaceae family of plants. The hawthorn leaf, Crataeguspinnatifida Bunge, is used for both condiment and medicinal purposes to prevent and treat metabolic dysfunctions, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease in traditional Chinese medicine. However, its effects on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remain obscure. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of hawthorn leaf flavonoids (HLF), the dominant bioactive extracts of hawthorn leaves, on high fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms. HLF supplementation significantly lowered body weight, liver weight, liver/body weight ratio, improved serum parameters and liver dysfunction and markedly decreased hepatic lipid accumulation in HFD-fed rats. In addition, HLF intervention dramatically increased circulating adiponectin levels and up-regulated the expression of adiponectin receptors, particularly adiponectin receptor 2 (AdipoR2) in the liver. Moreover, adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was also activated, as well as AMPK-mediated alteration of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and their downstream targets. Taken together, our data suggest that HLF ameliorates hepatic steatosis by enhancing the adiponectin/AMPK pathway in the liver of HFD-induced NAFLD rats.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China; Research Center for Health and Nutrition, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Zhongping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Jiaoya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Peiyong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Lianjun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Health and Nutrition, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Hongyi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai 200032, China; E-Institute of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ji
keywords: Hawthorn leaf flavonoids; adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase; adiponectin; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease