title: Solanum nigrum Protects against Hepatic Fibrosis via Suppression of Hyperglycemia in High-Fat/Ethanol Diet-Induced Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) signal through the receptor for AGE (RAGE), which can lead to hepatic fibrosis in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. We investigated the inhibitory effect of aqueous extracts from Solanum nigrum (AESN) on AGEs-induced RAGE signaling and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and hyperglycemia induced by high-fat diet with ethanol.
  
  
  METHODS
  An animal model was used to evaluate the anti-hepatic fibrosis activity of AESN in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD; 30%) with ethanol (10%). Male Wistar rats (4 weeks of age) were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6): (1) control (basal diet); (2) HFD (30%) + ethanol (10%) (HFD/ethanol); (3) HFD/ethanol + AESN (100 mg/kg, oral administration); and (4) HFD/ethanol + pioglitazone (10 mg/kg, oral administration) and treated with HFD for 6 months in the presence or absence of 10% ethanol in dietary water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that AESN improved insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, and downregulated lipogenesis via regulation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), PPARγ co-activator (PGC-1α), carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) mRNA levels in the liver of HFD/ethanol-treated rats. In turn, AESN may delay and inhibit the progression of hepatic fibrosis, including α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) inhibition and MMP-2 production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that AESN may be further explored as a novel anti-fibrotic strategy for the prevention of liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medicine University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. cjtai@tmu.edu.tw.|Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. cjtai@tmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Cheng-Jeng
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. chenyen_318@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Chen-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Choong
authors.affiliation: Taiwan Indigena Botanica Co., Ltd., Taipei 11458, Taiwan. jasmineycs@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Yeu-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. doclin10@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yu-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. cwwang@ms4.hinet.net.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. cwwang@ms4.hinet.net.
authors.forename: Chia-Woei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medicine University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. f96b47117@ntu.edu.tw.|Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. f96b47117@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Bao-Hong
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. chenjtai@tmu.edu.tw.|Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. chenjtai@tmu.edu.tw.|Traditional Herbal Medicine Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan. chenjtai@tmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chen-Jei
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Tai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000378:metabolism; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D050155:Lipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products / Q000378:metabolism; D032324:Solanum nigrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: C000593874:Ager protein, rat; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000431:Ethanol; D000077205:Pioglitazone
keywords: Solanum nigrum; advanced glycation end products (AGEs); hepatic fibrosis; hyperglycemia; hyperlipidemia