title: Identification of Plants That Inhibit Lipid Droplet Formation in Liver Cells: Rubus suavissimus Leaf Extract Protects Mice from High-Fat Diet-Induced Fatty Liver by Directly Affecting Liver Cells.
abstract: Fatty liver disease is a condition in which abnormally large numbers of lipid droplets accumulate in liver cells. Fatty liver disease induces inflammation under conditions of oxidative stress and may result in cancer. To identify plants that protect against fatty liver disease, we examined the inhibitory effects of plant extracts on lipid droplet formation in mouse hepatoma cells. A screen of 98 water extracts of plants revealed 4 extracts with inhibitory effects. One of these extracts, Rubus suavissimus S. Lee (Tien-cha or Chinese sweet tea) leaf extract, which showed strong inhibitory effects, was tested in a mouse fatty liver model. In these mouse experiments, intake of the plant extract significantly protected mice against fatty liver disease without affecting body weight gain. Our results suggest that RSE directly affects liver cells and protects them from fatty liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Cell Engineering, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences (NUPALS), 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 956-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Cell Engineering, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences (NUPALS), 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 956-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Cell Engineering, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences (NUPALS), 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 956-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Cell Engineering, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences (NUPALS), 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 956-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Kento
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Cell Engineering, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences (NUPALS), 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 956-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Ami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakabayashi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Cell Engineering, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences (NUPALS), 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 956-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Cell Engineering, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences (NUPALS), 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 956-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagano-Ito
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Cell Engineering, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences (NUPALS), 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 956-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichikawa