Flaxseed oil and alpha-lipoic acid combination ameliorates hepatic oxidative stress and lipid accumulation in comparison to lard

Jiqu Xu,Hui Gao,Jin’E Yang,Wei Yang,Qingde Huang,Lin Song,Chang Chen,Qianchun Deng,Fenghong Huang

doi:10.1186/1476-511x-12-58

Abstract

BackgroundIntake of high-fat diet is associated with increased non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress are key pathophysiological mechanisms in NAFLD. Both flaxseed oil (FO) and α-lipoic acid (LA) exert potential benefit to NAFLD. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the combination of FO and LA on hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in rats induced by high-fat diet.MethodsLA was dissolved in flaxseed oil to a final concentration of 8 g/kg (FO + LA). The rodent diet contained 20% fat. One-fifth of the fat was soybean oil and the others were lard (control group), or 75% lard and 25% FO + LA (L-FO + LA group), or 50% lard and 50% FO + LA (M-FO + LA group), or FO + LA (H-FO + LA group). Male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed for 10 weeks and then killed for liver collection.ResultsIntake of high-fat lard caused a significant hepatic steatosis. Replacement with FO + LA was effective in reducing steatosis as well as total triglyceride and total cholesterol contents in liver. The combination of FO and LA also significantly elevated hepatic antioxidant defense capacities, as evaluated by the remarkable increase in the activities of SOD, CAT and GPx as well as the level of GSH, and the significant decline in lipid peroxidation.ConclusionThe combination of FO and LA may contribute to prevent fatty livers such as NAFLD by ameliorating hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress.

Highlights

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinicopathological term that encompasses a broad spectrum ranging from benign hepatic steatosis to cirrhosis
The body weight was 162.1 ± 3.5, 163.7 ± 3.1, 160.5 ± 2.9, 162.9 ± 2.5 g at the beginning and 454.0 ± 5.7, 446.8 ± 6.8, 437.1 ± 5.3, Effects of flaxseed oil (FO) and lipoic acid (LA) combination on liver antioxidative capacity and lipid peroxidation As shown in Figure 3, the activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes Superoxide dismutases (SOD) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were found to be statistically elevated in M- and H- FO + LA animals, as compared to high-fat lard animals
LNA has been well established to be a natural ligand of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) [29] and shown to bind and activate this key transcriptional regulator of lipid metabolism, thereby increases the gene expression and activities of enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation in the liver [30,31,32,33]

Summary

Introduction

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinicopathological term that encompasses a broad spectrum ranging from benign hepatic steatosis to cirrhosis. It is the most common liver disease and recognized as a major public health problem in contemporary society around the world [1,2]. Hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress are key pathophysiological mechanisms in NAFLD Both flaxseed oil (FO) and α-lipoic acid (LA) exert potential benefit to NAFLD. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the combination of FO and LA on hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in rats induced by high-fat diet

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion