Chunggan extract (CGX), methionine-and choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced hepatosteatosis and oxidative stress in C57BL/6 mice

Abstract

In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Chunggan extract (CGX) in an animal model of hepatosteatosis. The C57BL/6N mice were fed either methionine- and choline-sufficient (MCS) diet (n = 10) or a methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet (n = 50) for 4 weeks, and then they were treated orally with CGX (100 or 200 mg/kg), ursodeoxycholic acid (80 mg/kg, as a positive control), or distilled water (DW, MCS diet group, and MCD diet group) for the final 2 weeks (once per day). The MCD diet induced severe hepatic injury with the typical features of hepatosteatosis in both serum and hepatic tissues. CGX treatment significantly attenuated these alterations in the serum levels including triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin. Moreover, CGX also efficiently prevented from the hepatic TG accumulation in the hepatic tissue, evidenced by histopathological findings, compared with the MCD diet. In addition, CGX treatment significantly ameliorated the excessive oxidative stress and antioxidant markers in the serum as well as the hepatic levels of reactive oxygen species, the levels of malondialdehyde, the protein carbonyl, and total antioxidant capacity, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. In conclusion, our results indicate the experimental relevance of CGX for potential clinical application in patients with hepatosteatotic disorders and a possible mechanism related to its antioxidant properties.

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities of extracts from Salvia—Nelumbinis naturalis against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis induced by methionine- and choline-deficient diet in mice

“…The model mice in the present study showed lower serum levels of insulin and leptin, as well as hepatic FFA synthetases, such as SREBP-1c and stearol-CoA desaturase 1, than those of the control mice (data not shown). By contrast, obviously increased levels of MDA and CYP2E1 were observed in the livers of the NASH mice induced by MCD diet, as reported in previous studies [ 34 , 40 ]. Thus, the present study further focused on whether SNN could improve NASH through regulating OS.…”

“…Thus, differences exist between MCD dietary mouse model and human NASH [ 37 ]. However, the MCD NASH model is one of the best established and commonly used dietary models for studying the evolution of inflammation and OS changes associated with NASH [ 38 - 40 ]. Liver injury and OS rapidly occur in MCD diet-fed model compared with other nutritional models.…”

Hyperpolarized 13C Spectroscopic Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in a Rodent Model of Steatohepatitis

“…Numerous other modulations of the redox network in MCD mice have been studied, using artificial enzymes, vitamins, and other natural products. These therapies have included Mn-salen complexes, Vitamin C, Chunggan extract, hydrogen sulfide, hypotaurine and curcurmin1415313233. In our study, mice originally fed the MCD-diet were allowed to recover for one week on a normal diet (n = 4, MCDr group).…”

A juvenile case with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and traditional Korean medicine-based treatment

“… 26 In this case, the regular boxing practice and diet control reduced his body weight 3 kg (about 4%, from 75 kg to 72 kg) during 6 months, which might attenuate the lipotoxic reaction in liver. Chungganplus was known to have hepatoprotective effects against hepatosteatosis and oxidative injury, 27 , 28 thus this prescribed herbal drug might work to improve the hepatic inflammation.…”