Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a disease associated with metabolic syndromes such as diabetes and obesity, regardless of alcohol consumption, and refers to the accumulation of triacylglycerols in the liver. Thymol (THY) is a vegetable essential oil that is naturally contained in the Zingiberaceae and Lamiaceae families. THY was isolated from Curcuma longa L. The rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. were dried, sliced and extracted with 50% ethanol and then isolated through repeated column chromatography. This study was conducted to investigate the inhibitory effect of THY, even in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, in relation to the inhibiting hyperlipidemia effect of THY, which was demonstrated in previous studies. Hepatocytes were treated with oleate (OA) containing THY to observe lipid accumulation by Oil Red O staining (ORO). We also tested the effect of THY on triacylglycerols (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in HepG2 cells. Western blot and real-time RT-PCR using sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP), proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expressions were carried out. Consequently, inhibition of lipogenesis by THY (100 μM or 200 μM) in NAFLD treated with OA in HepG2 cells was confirmed. The results of TG and TC experiments confirmed a decrease in the degree of fat accumulation in the liver. Furthermore, inhibition of the SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC, C/EBP and PPARγ expressions that mediated fat accumulation and increased AMPK phosphorylation was observed. Taken together, THY is proposed as a potential natural constituent for the treatment of NAFLD.
Highlights
Fatty liver disease is caused by the buildup of excess fat in the liver
Fatty liver disease is defined as the accumulation of triacylglycerols in more than 5% of hepatocytes [1]
Fatty liver disease associated with diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia is generalized under the term non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), regardless of alcohol consumption [2]
Summary
Fatty liver disease is caused by the buildup of excess fat in the liver. Fatty liver disease is defined as the accumulation of triacylglycerols in more than 5% of hepatocytes [1]. Fatty liver disease can be divided into two categories: alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Alcoholic fatty liver disease occurs under the condition of heavy alcohol drinking, as the name reveals. Fatty liver disease associated with diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia is generalized under the term non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), regardless of alcohol consumption [2]. NAFLD appears in relation to metabolic syndrome [3]. NAFLD tends to impact simple fatty liver disease, and chronic hepatitis
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