title: Effect of traditional Chinese medicine formula Sinisan on chronic restraint stress-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a rat study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents one of the most common forms of liver disease worldwide, and it is always regarded as a consequence of a sedentary, food-abundant lifestyle, sitting for an extended time, and a low physical activity level, which often coincide with chronic and long-lasting psychological stress. A Chinese medicine Sinisan (SNS) may be a potential formula for treating this kind of disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, a long-term chronic restraint stress protocol was used to investigate the mechanism underlying stress-induced NALFD. To investigate the effect of SNS treatment on stress-induced NAFLD, we measured the liver and serum values of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), liver free fatty acids (FFA), low-density lipoprotein, superoxide dismutase, tumor necrosis factor-α, malondialdehyde, interleukin (IL)-6, and serum values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase. Results are shown as a mean ± standard deviation. Significant differences between the groups were evaluated using the Student t-test. For multiple comparisons, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. If the results of ANOVA indicated significant differences, post hoc analysis was performed with the Tukey test or Dunnett test, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Long-term chronic stress led to steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Additionally, SNS treatment significantly increased body weight gain (p < 0.01) and sucrose preference (p < 0.001), and it reduced the liver values of TC, TG, and FFA (p < 0.05). SNS also reduced the serum values of AST and ALT (p < 0.001), and the liver value of IL-6 (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study's results demonstrate that psychological stress may be a significant risk factor of NAFLD. Furthermore, the traditional Chinese medicine formula SNS may have some beneficial effect in antagonizing psychological stress and stress-related NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Fafeng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Chongyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China. shirlyding@163.com.
authors.forename: Xueqian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Changming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Guoli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Changxiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Zisong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Wenchao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Yajun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Wenxiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Xiangjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuandong Road, Chao yang District, Beijing, 100029, China. wangqg8558@163.com.
authors.forename: Qingguo
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004339:Drug Compounding; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014280:Triglycerides; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002784:Cholesterol; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Chronic stress; NAFLD; Oxidative stress; Psychological stress; Sinisan; TCM