Scolymus hispanicus (Golden Thistle) Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis and Metabolic Syndrome by Reducing Lipid Accumulation, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Rats under Hyperfatty Diet.

Sihem Berdja,Samia Neggazi,Lynda Boudarene,Ghouti Kacimi,Souhila Aouichat Bouguerra,Saliha Boumaza,Abdelhamid Sahraoui,El-Mehdi Haffaf,Leila Smail,Fatima Martel

doi:10.1155/2021/5588382

Abstract

Background Lipotoxicity is characterized by a metabolic disturbance leading to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Some medicinal plant extracts exert hepatoprotective activity by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic disorders. Scolymus hispanicus or the golden thistle can be considered an important natural source of antioxidants. In traditional medicine, the consumption of this plant is recommended for diseases of the liver and intestines. Objective In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of Scolymus hispanicus on a hyperfatty diet- (HFD-) induced metabolic disorders, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Materials and Methods Our experiment focused on the administration of an HFD (40%) in Rattus norvegicus for 2 months and treatment with the aqueous extract of Scolymus hispanicus at a rate of 100 mg/kg during the last eight days of experimentation. In this context, several aspects were studied: the evaluation of blood biochemical parameters, liver function such as lipids and glycogen, markers of oxidative stress (TBARS, carbonyl proteins, advanced oxidation proteins, catalase, and SOD) and inflammation (NO and NFkB), morphological study of hepatocytes in primary culture, and histological study of the liver. Results Lipotoxicity induced metabolic disorders, both serum and tissue. HFD induced an increase in the total lipids and a decrease in glycogen reserve and an alteration in the oxidant-antioxidant balance. HFD induced an increase in markers of liver damage, which resulted in NAFLD, confirmed by histological study and hepatocytes cell culture. Scolymus appears to have lipid-lowering, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It improved glucose tolerance and the condition of fatty liver disease. Conclusion Golden thistle improves glucose tolerance and hyperlipidemia and ameliorates hepatic steatosis by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid accumulation. Its incorporation into a dietary program or as an aliment supplement would prevent hepatic complications associated with an HFD.

Highlights

Overweight and obesity have become major global public health problems
Overnutrition leads to excess calories, which induce the installation of obesity, indicating an imbalance in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine the energy balance, which occurs when the calories ingested are greater than those spent by the body. e intake will be higher and the storage lipids will be increased. e increase in the storage of lipids and lipid derivatives leads to the expansion of adipose tissue and the installation of lipotoxicity, which has harmful effects resulting in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is associated with obesity [2]
NAFLD encompasses a broad spectrum of diseases that include simple fatty infiltration nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is defined as the presence of fat leading to inflammatory damage to hepatocytes, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. e importance of NAFLD lies in the possibility of its gradual progress to advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [2, 3]. e overall prevalence of NAFLD is growing in parallel with the global epidemic of obesity [4]. e pathophysiology is complex and involves multiple concurrent mechanisms in the context of abnormal metabolic processes that arise mostly in individuals with risk factors

Summary

Introduction

Overweight and obesity have become major global public health problems. Increasing consumption of more energydense, nutrient-poor foods with high levels of sugar and saturated fats and the increase in the availability of obesogenic ultraprocessed foods combined with reduced physical activity have increased obesity rates threefold or more since 1980 [1]. E increase in the storage of lipids and lipid derivatives leads to the expansion of adipose tissue (hyperplasia and hypertrophy) and the installation of lipotoxicity, which has harmful effects resulting in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is associated with obesity [2]. Our experiment focused on the administration of an HFD (40%) in Rattus norvegicus for 2 months and treatment with the aqueous extract of Scolymus hispanicus at a rate of 100 mg/kg during the last eight days of experimentation In this context, several aspects were studied: the evaluation of blood biochemical parameters, liver function such as lipids and glycogen, markers of oxidative stress (TBARS, carbonyl proteins, advanced oxidation proteins, catalase, and SOD) and inflammation (NO and NFkB), morphological study of hepatocytes in primary culture, and histological study of the liver.

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Conclusion