Ginsenoside Re Improves Inflammation and Fibrosis in Hepatic Tissue by Upregulating PPARγ Expression and Inhibiting Oxidative Stress in db/db Mice.

Yichuan Jiang,Dayun Sui,Xiaofeng Yu,Min Li,Qian Yu,Huali Xu,Jinsha Liu,Junqing Yang

doi:10.1155/2021/9003603

Abstract

Ginsenoside Re (Re) is the main component of “Zhenyuan Capsule” (ZYC), which was wildly used in clinic in China for adjunctive treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) and type II diabetes (T2DM). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most important complications of T2DM, as well as an important risk factor of CHD. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Re on NAFLD in db/db mice, one of the most recognized gene deficient animal models on T2DM. Sixteen db/db mice and sixteen wild-type mice were divided into four groups and orally administered Re or placebo in equal volume. According to the results, Re showed no obvious effect on blood glucose, lipids, or body weight of db/db mice. Histology pictures of hepatic tissue showed that Re did not improve steatosis, too. However, some evidence suggested that hepatic injury in db/db mice was attenuated by Re administering. Collagen deposition and aminotransferase elevation were significantly downregulated in the DB + Re group compared to those in the DB Group. The mechanisms of the protect effects of Re represented in db/db mice with NAFLD might be inhibiting oxidative stress and the reupregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (pparγ) expression. The results of this study indicated that ZYC might be able to help T2DM patients with NAFLD to control the progress of NAFLD as an alternation of thiazolidinediones, synthetic agonists of PPARγ, whose side effects and adverse events should not be ignored.

Highlights

Ginsenoside Re (Re) is one of the protopanaxatriol-type saponins (Figure 1), which are abundant in Araliaceae plants such as Panax ginseng C.A
As Re is the essential component of ZYC, which has been widely used as an Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine adjunctive treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) and T2DM, in this study, we determined the protective effects of Re on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which has a complex relationship with CHD and T2DM
In the DB group, activities of ALT and AST in serum were significantly higher than the activities in the WT Group. e disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism resulted in hepatocytes injury and aminotransferase leakage in db/db mice

Summary

Introduction

Ginsenoside Re (Re) is one of the protopanaxatriol-type saponins (Figure 1), which are abundant in Araliaceae plants such as Panax ginseng C.A. Re is the essential component of total saponins extracted from the fruit of ginseng, which had been developed as a drug named “Zhenyuan Capsule” (ZYC). ZYC was wildly used in clinic in China for adjunctive treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) and type II diabetes (T2DM), especially CHD with abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism [1]. Current evidence showed that ZYC combined with routine treatment could improve the cardiac function and quality of life of patients with chronic heart failure, and with high safety [2]. Our group is currently undertaking a long-term study assessing the effects of various ginsenosides, including Re, in various animal models of chronic disease, such as hypertension [3, 4], CHD [5,6,7], and T2DM. As Re is the essential component of ZYC, which has been widely used as an Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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Discussion

Conclusion