Protective effects of gypenosides against fatty liver disease induced by high fat and cholesterol diet and alcohol in rats

Arch Pharm Res. 2012 Jul;35(7):1241-50. doi: 10.1007/s12272-012-0715-5. Epub 2012 Aug 3.

Abstract

In the present study, the protective effects of gypenosides from Gynostemma pentaphyllum on fatty liver disease (FLD) were examined in rats treated with high fat and cholesterol diet and alcohol. Male SD rats were divided into seven groups: control, model, lovastatin, silymarin, gypenosides high-, medium- and low-treatment groups. The latter 6 groups were fed high-fat and cholesterol diet and administered alcohol intragastricly once a day. Body weight was measured every week for 10 weeks, and the hepatic index was measured after 10 weeks. Compared with model group, levels of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), free fatty acid (FFA), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, malondialdehyde (MDA), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, and hepatocyte apoptosis were significantly decreased in gypenosides groups; while serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in both serum and hepatic tissue and mRNA and protein level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α) were significantly increased. Moreover, hepatic steatosis and mitochondrial damage were improved. These results suggested that gypenosides could prevent liver fatty degeneration in fatty liver disease through modulating lipid metabolism, ameliorating liver dysfunction and reducing oxidative stress.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Cholesterol, Dietary* / blood
  • Cholesterol, LDL / blood
  • Cytoprotection
  • Diet, High-Fat*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / blood
  • Fatty Liver / blood
  • Fatty Liver / etiology
  • Fatty Liver / genetics
  • Fatty Liver / pathology
  • Fatty Liver / prevention & control*
  • Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / blood
  • Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / etiology
  • Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / genetics
  • Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / pathology
  • Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / prevention & control*
  • Gynostemma* / chemistry
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / ultrastructure
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / blood
  • Mitochondria, Liver / drug effects
  • Mitochondria, Liver / metabolism
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
  • PPAR alpha / drug effects
  • PPAR alpha / genetics
  • PPAR alpha / metabolism
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Preparations / isolation & purification
  • Plant Preparations / pharmacology*
  • Protective Agents / isolation & purification
  • Protective Agents / pharmacology*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Superoxide Dismutase / blood
  • Triglycerides / blood

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cholesterol, Dietary
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
  • PPAR alpha
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plant Preparations
  • Protective Agents
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Triglycerides
  • gypenoside
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase