Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a comorbidity of obesity, which gradually develops from hepatic steatosis into steatohepatitis (NASH) and eventually even into fibrosis or hepatic carcinoma. To date, there has been no specific and effective treatment for NAFLD. Sarcopoterium spinosum extract (SSE) was found to improve insulin sensitivity. Recognizing the intimate link between insulin resistance and NAFLD, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectivity of SSE in the prevention and management of NAFLD at various severities. SSE was given to high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice (steatosis model) or to mice given a Western diet (WD) in the short or long term (NASH prevention or treatment, respectively). SSE reduced body weight accumulation, improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and prevented the development of hepatic steatosis. SSE also blocked the progression of liver disease toward NASH in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, inflammation, and antioxidant machinery was regulated by SSE in both models of steatosis and NASH development. However, SSE failed to reverse the hepatic damage in the advanced model of NASH. In summary, SSE might be considered as a botanical supplement for the prevention and treatment of hepatic steatosis, and for slowing the deterioration toward NASH.
Highlights
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an extremely common condition, affecting approximately 20% of adults in Western countries, with the highest prevalence of almost 75%affected subjects in the obese, diabetic population [1,2]
Treatment by spinosum extract (SSE) consumed at the highest dose (90 mg/day) led to a lower body weight accumulation compared to their high-fat diet (HFD)-fed littermates
These results suggest a dose-dependent effect of SSE on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
Summary
Affected subjects in the obese, diabetic population [1,2] Based on this alarming statistic, NAFLD is considered as the leading cause of liver diseases [3]. The leading risk factors for NAFLD are obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), hypertension and dyslipidemia. All these factors are included in the metabolic syndrome. In approximately 20% of cases, fatty liver may progress to a more severe form, steatohepatitis (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the case of NAFLD), which is marked by the additional pathological features of lobar inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning and eventually tissue damage in the form of sinusoidal collagen formation representing initiation of liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis may lead to cirrhosis, which involves risk of liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma [4]
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