title: Protective and therapeutic effects of Crataegus aronia in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the potential preventive and therapeutic effects of Crataegus aronia (C. aronia) in NAFLD induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in rat models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Protective effect of Crataegus aronia or simvastatin was investigated in Wistar rats fed either low-fat diet (LFD) or HFD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Liver histopathological examinations confirmed the development of NAFLD in rats fed HFD. In both protective and therapeutic treatments, C. aronia significantly reduced liver index (3.85 ± 0.21% in HFD plus aronia group versus 6.22 ± 0.58% in HFD model group), increased the HDL-cholesterol and reduced the LDL-cholesterol in blood. The hawthorn plant also significantly ameliorated oxidative stress biomarker (p < 0.002) and liver enzymes (p < 0.0001) that indicate liver damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  C. aronia exhibits therapeutic and protective effects on NAFLD in an animal model possibly by its lipid lowering and antioxidant effects; thus, may offer therapeutic potential in humans.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medicine , College of Medicine, King Khalid University , Abha , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Suliman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Humayed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000819:agonists / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood; D027825:Crataegus / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D007597:Jordan; D008082:Lipotropic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008082:Lipotropic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C007145:crataegus extract; D019821:Simvastatin
keywords: Crataegus aronia; NAFLD; hawthorn; simvastatin; steatosis