Abstract
Background Prediabetes is an intermediary hyperglycaemic state that precedes type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in which abnormal metabolism of glucose and lipids occurs in organs such as the liver. Evidence has shown that, about 70% of T2DM patients develop hepatic dysfunction which is found to begin during the prediabetic stage. Bredemolic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene, has been found to improve insulin sensitivity in diet-induced prediabetic rats. The effects of this compound on liver function, however, are unknown. This study was therefore designed to investigate the effects of BA on liver function in high fat-high carbohydrate (HFHC) diet-induced prediabetic rats. Methods Thirty-six (36) male rats that weigh 150 g–180 g were divided into two groups, the non-prediabetic (n = 6) and the prediabetic groups (n = 6) and the prediabetic groups (n = 6) and the prediabetic groups (Results The induction of prediabetes resulted in increased release of liver enzymes (AST and ALT), increased liver glycogen and triglyceride, lipid peroxidation, and decreased sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP1c) and antioxidant enzymes. However, the administration of BA decreased liver enzyme concentrations, decreased hepatic oxidative stress, and improved antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and GPx. Conclusion BA administration improved liver function in diet-induced prediabetic rats in the presence or absence of dietary intervention.
Highlights
Prediabetes is a state of intermediate hyperglycaemia that causes abnormal changes in intracellular metabolism of most body tissues including the liver [1]
Studies have shown that excessive intake of high-caloric diets induces skeletal muscle insulin resistance which results into the shunting of glucose from the skeletal muscle to the liver thereby leading to increased hepatic glycogen production and storage [4,5,6]
Excessive hepatic accumulation of free fatty acid or triglyceride leads to hepatic insulin resistance, hepatic dysfunction, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that is characterized by fat infiltration into the hepatocytes [9,10,11,12,13,14]
Summary
Prediabetes is a state of intermediate hyperglycaemia that causes abnormal changes in intracellular metabolism of most body tissues including the liver [1]. Studies have shown that excessive intake of high-caloric diets induces skeletal muscle insulin resistance which results into the shunting of glucose from the skeletal muscle to the liver thereby leading to increased hepatic glycogen production and storage [4,5,6]. Several studies have shown that continuous intake of high quantities of fats and carbohydrates alters liver function by accumulation of ectopic fats as a result of de novo lipogenesis which is mediated by transcription factors such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP1c) under insulin action [7, 8]. Is study was designed to investigate the effects of BA on liver function in high fathigh carbohydrate (HFHC) diet-induced prediabetic rats. BA administration improved liver function in dietinduced prediabetic rats in the presence or absence of dietary intervention
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