Hepatoprotective Effects of Morinda citrifolia Leaf Extract on Ovariectomized Rats Fed with Thermoxidized Palm Oil Diet: Evidence at Histological and Ultrastructural Level.

C L G Chong,F Othman,F Hussan

doi:10.1155/2019/9714302

C L G Chong, F Othman + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9714302

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Abstract

Morinda citrifolia (Rubiaceae) or Noni was previously reported to have leaf with broad therapeutic property whereas the fruit was rarely described as medicinal. Ironically, extensive research and review has been done on the fruit and little was known about the therapeutic activity of the leaf as a medicinal food. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of Morinda citrifolia (MC) ethanolic leaf extract on the hepatic structure and function in postmenopausal rats fed with thermoxidized palm oil (TPO) diet. Thirty eight female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups: sham (Sham), ovariectomized (OVX), ovariectomized and treated with simvastatin 10 mg/kg (OVX+ST), ovariectomized and supplemented with low dose MC 500 mg/kg (OVX+MCLD), and ovariectomized and supplemented with high dose MC 1000 mg/kg (OVX+MCHD). All the ovariectomized groups were fed with TPO diet whereas the Sham group was fed with normal diet. Consumption of TPO diet in postmenopausal rats resulted in obesity, significantly elevated (P < 0.05) liver oxidative stress marker; malondialdehyde (MDA), diffuse microvesicular steatosis, and defective mitochondria. Treatment with MC leaf extract prevented hepatic steatosis by significantly increasing (P < 0.05) the liver antioxidant enzyme SOD and GPx, significantly increasing (P < 0.05) ALP, decreasing liver lipids infiltration, preventing mitochondrial damage, and overall maintaining the normal liver histology and ultrastructure. In conclusion, we provided detailed histological and ultrastructural evidence showing hepatoprotective effects of MC leaf extract through its antioxidant mechanism.

Highlights

Hepatic steatosis is a pathological condition that is prevalent in postmenopausal women due to loss of protective effects of oestrogen.Oestrogen deficiency that occurs following menopause causes metabolic changes, alteration in the body composition, and body fat distribution that leads to liver lipid infiltration [1]
We investigated the basis of using Morinda citrifolia (MC) leaf as a medicinal food in Traditional Malay Medicine to prevent liver disease by studying the effects of the leaf extract supplementation on the liver of postmenopausal rats fed with thermoxidized palm oil (TPO) diet
Ovariectomized rats fed with thermoxidized palm oil (TPO) diet were used in this study as an experimental model of hepatic steatosis

Summary

Introduction

Hepatic steatosis is a pathological condition that is prevalent in postmenopausal women due to loss of protective effects of oestrogen.Oestrogen deficiency that occurs following menopause causes metabolic changes, alteration in the body composition, and body fat distribution that leads to liver lipid infiltration [1]. Previous animal studies demonstrated that ovariectomy resulted in progressive fat accumulation in the liver [2]. Consumption of thermally oxidized oil or thermoxidized palm oil (TPO) diet by postmenopausal subjects appeared to accelerate the development of hepatic steatosis [2]. Chronic consumption of TPO is hazardous to health especially in elderly postmenopausal women because repeated heating of the oil at high temperature decreases the antioxidant content in the oil, increases lipid peroxidation, and generates free radicalsinduced oxidative stress in the liver [4]. There is no effective pharmacological treatment for this pathological condition except for the management of metabolic risk factors by using statins, weight loss, and exercise, but it is unrealistic as it is difficult

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