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Hwang SJ, Choi YJ, Wang JH, Son CG. Lactobacillus Casei-fermented Amomum Xanthioides Mitigates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a high-fat diet mice model. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 172:116250. [PMID: 38320334 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a substantial global health issue owing to its high prevalence and the lack of effective therapies. Fermentation of medicinal herbs has always been considered a feasible strategy for enhancing efficacy in treating various ailments. This study aimed to investigate the potential benefits of the Lactobacillus casei-fermented Amomum xanthioides (LAX) on NAFLD in a high-fat diet model. HFD-fed C57BL6/j mice were administered with 200 mg/kg of LAX or unfermented Amomum xanthioides (AX) or 100 mg/kg of metformin for 6 weeks from the 4th week. The 10-week HFD-induced alterations of hepatic lipid accumulation and hepatic inflammation were significantly attenuated by LAX dominantly (more than AX or metformin), which evidenced by pathohistological findings, lipid contents, inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)- 6 and IL-1β, oxidative parameters such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and molecular changes reversely between lipogenic proteins such as glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAM) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)- 1, and lipolytic proteins including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-α) and AMP-activated kinase (AMPK)-α in the liver tissues. In addition, the abnormal serum lipid parameters (triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol) notably ameliorated by LAX. In conclusion, these findings support the potential of LAX as a promising plant-derived remedy for NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Ju Hwang
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedukdae-ro 176 bun-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, the Republic of Korea; Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, 75, Daedukdae-ro 176 bun-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, the Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Jin Choi
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedukdae-ro 176 bun-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, the Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Se-Myung University, Semyeong-ro 65, Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, 27136, the Republic of Korea
| | - Jing-Hua Wang
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedukdae-ro 176 bun-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, the Republic of Korea; Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, 75, Daedukdae-ro 176 bun-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, the Republic of Korea.
| | - Chang-Gue Son
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedukdae-ro 176 bun-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, the Republic of Korea; Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, 75, Daedukdae-ro 176 bun-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, the Republic of Korea.
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Alruhaili MH, Almuhayawi MS, Gattan HS, Alharbi MT, Nagshabandi MK, Jaouni SKA, Selim S, AbdElgawad H. Insight into the phytochemical profile and antimicrobial activities of Amomum subulatum and Amomum xanthioides: an in vitro and in silico study. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1136961. [PMID: 37152127 PMCID: PMC10157186 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1136961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Medicinal plants have been considered as potential source of therapeutics or as starting materials in drugs formulation. Methods The current study aims to shed light on the therapeutic potential of the Amomum subulatom and Amomum xanthioides Fruits by analyzing the phytochemical composition of their seeds and fruits using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques to determine the presence of bioactive components such as flavonoids, phenols, vitamins, steroids, and essential oils. Results and Discussion The protein content is usually higher than the total lipids in both species except the fruit of A. subulatum which contain more lipids than proteins. The total protein contents for A. subulatum were 235.03 ± 21.49 and 227.49 ± 25.82 mg/g dry weight while for A. xanthioides were 201.9 ± 37.79 and 294.99 ± 37.93 mg/g dry weight for seeds and fruit, respectively. The Carvacrol levels in A. subulatum is 20 times higher than that in A. xanthioides. Lower levels of α-Thujene, Phyllanderenes, Ascaridole, and Pinocarvone were also observed in both species. According to DPPH (2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl) assay, seed the extract of A. subulatum exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (78.26±9.27 %) followed by the seed extract of A. xanthioides (68.21±2.56 %). Similarly, FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) assay showed that the highest antioxidant activity was exhibited by the seed extract of the two species; 20.14±1.11 and 21.18±1.04 µmol trolox g-1 DW for A. subulatum and A. xanthioides, respectively. In terms of anti-lipid peroxidation, relatively higher values were obtained for the fruit extract of A. subulatum (6.08±0.35) and the seed extract of A. xanthioides (6.11±0.55). Ethanolic seed extracts of A. subulatum had the highest efficiency against four Gram-negative bacterial species which causes serious human diseases, namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Salmonella typhimurium. In addition, P. aeruginosa was also inhibited by the fruit extract of both A. subulatum and A. xanthioides. For the seed extract of A. xanthioides, large inhibition zones were formed against P. vulgaris and the fungus Candida albicans. Finally, we have in silico explored the mode of action of these plants by performing detailed molecular modeling studies and showed that the antimicrobial activities of these plants could be attributed to the high binding affinity of their bioactive compounds to bind to the active sites of the sterol 14-alpha demethylase and the transcriptional regulator MvfR. Conclusion These findings demonstrate the two species extracts possess high biological activities and therapeutical values, which increases their potential value in a number of therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed H. Alruhaili
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology Faculty of Medicine, King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahad Medical Research Center, King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- *Correspondence: Mohammed H. Alruhaili, ; Samy Selim, ; Hamada AbdElgawad,
| | - Mohammed S. Almuhayawi
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology Faculty of Medicine, King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hattan S. Gattan
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahad Medical Research Center, King AbdulAziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohanned Talal Alharbi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed K. Nagshabandi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Soad K. Al Jaouni
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Yousef Abdulatif Jameel Scientific Chair of Prophetic Medicine Application, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samy Selim
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia
- *Correspondence: Mohammed H. Alruhaili, ; Samy Selim, ; Hamada AbdElgawad,
| | - Hamada AbdElgawad
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
- *Correspondence: Mohammed H. Alruhaili, ; Samy Selim, ; Hamada AbdElgawad,
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Guo J, Shi CX, Zhang QQ, Deng W, Zhang LY, Chen Q, Zhang DM, Gong ZJ. Interventions for non-alcoholic liver disease: a gut microbial metabolites perspective. Therap Adv Gastroenterol 2022; 15:17562848221138676. [PMID: 36506748 PMCID: PMC9730013 DOI: 10.1177/17562848221138676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a leading burden of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver transplantation. Although the exact pathogenesis of NAFLD has not been fully elucidated, recent hypotheses placed more emphasis on the crucial role of the gut microbiome and its derivatives. Reportedly, microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, amino acid metabolites (indole and its derivatives), bile acids (BAs), trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), and endogenous ethanol exhibit sophisticated bioactive properties. These molecules regulate host lipid, glucose, and BAs metabolic homeostasis via modulating nutrient absorption, energy expenditure, inflammation, and the neuroendocrine axis. Consequently, a broad range of research has studied the therapeutic effects of microbiota-derived metabolites. In this review, we explore the interaction of microbial products and NAFLD. We also discuss the regulatory role of existing NAFLD therapies on metabolite levels and investigate the potential of targeting those metabolites to relieve NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Guo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chun-Xia Shi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing-Qi Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Deng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lu-Yi Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan-Mei Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Wang JH, Hwang SJ, Shin KS, Lim DW, Son CG. Bacillus subtilis-Fermented Amomum xanthioides Ameliorates Metabolic-Syndrome-Like Pathological Conditions in Long-Term HFHFD-Fed Mice. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:2254. [PMID: 36421440 PMCID: PMC9687221 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11112254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In modern society, numerous metabolic disorders are widespread globally. The present study aimed to demonstrate whether Bacillus subtilis-fermented Amomum xanthioides (BSAX) exerts anti-metabolic disturbance effects compared with the ethyl acetate fraction of Amomum xanthioides (EFAX), a previously verified functional fraction. Mice fed with a high-fat, high-fructose diet (HFHFD) for 10 wk presented a typical model of metabolic dysfunction, and BSAX significantly attenuated a string of metabolic-syndrome-related pathological parameters, such as body, fat, organ mass, lipid markers (TGs, TC, free fatty acids), and glucose metabolism (glucose, insulin), without influencing appetite. Further, BSAX markedly lowered malondialdehyde (MDA) and ROS in the blood and restored antioxidative parameters (SOD, GSH, and CAT in liver tissue, and total bilirubin in serum) by elevating Nrf2 and HO-1. Moreover, BSAX noticeably restored gut microbiota diversity and normalized lipid-metabolism-associated proteins, including SREBP-1, p-AMPK, and PPAR-α. Generally, most metabolic parameters were improved by BSAX to a greater extent than EFAX, except for liver weight and hepatic TC. In conclusion, BSAX alleviates metabolic dysfunction by enhancing lipid metabolism and antioxidative capacity and is more effective than EFAX. Therefore, the application of high-yield, effective BSAX might be a promising approach for curing and preventing metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Hua Wang
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Republic of Korea
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Ju Hwang
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Republic of Korea
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Soo Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Graduate School, Daejeon University, Daejeon 34520, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Woo Lim
- Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Dongguk-Ro 32, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Gue Son
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Republic of Korea
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Republic of Korea
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Lee SB, Hwang SJ, Son CG. CGX, a standardized herbal syrup, inhibits colon-liver metastasis by regulating the hepatic microenvironments in a splenic injection mouse model. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:906752. [PMID: 36105183 PMCID: PMC9465806 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.906752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Colon-liver metastasis is observed in approximately 50% of patients with colorectal cancer and is a critical risk factor for a low survival rate. Several clinical studies have reported that colon-liver metastasis is accelerated by pathological hepatic microenvironments such as hepatic steatosis or fibrosis. Chunggan syrup (CGX), a standardized 13-herbal mixture, has been prescribed to patients with chronic liver diseases, including fatty liver, inflammation and fibrotic change, based on preclinical and clinical evidence. Aim of the study: In the present study, we investigated anti-liver metastatic the effects of CGX in a murine colon carcinoma (MC38)-splenic injection mouse model. Materials and methods: C57BL/6N mice were administered with CGX (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) for 14 days before or after MC38-splenic injection under normal and high-fat diet (HFD) fed conditions. Also, above experiment was repeated without MC38-splenic injection to explore underlying mechanism. Results: The number of tumor nodules and liver weight with tumors were sup-pressed by preadministration of CGX in both normal and HFD fed mice. Regarding its mechanisms, we found that CGX administration significantly activated epithelial-cadherin (E-cadherin), but decreased vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin) in hepatic tissues under MC38-free conditions. In addition, CGX administration significantly reduced hepatic steatosis, via modulation of lipolytic and lipogenic molecules, including activated adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-alpha (PPARα). Conclusion: The present data indicate that CGX exerts an anti-colon-liver metastatic property via modulation of hepatic lipid related microenvironments.
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Wang JH, Hwang SJ, Lim DW, Son CG. Cynanchum atratum Alleviates Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver by Balancing Lipogenesis and Fatty Acid Oxidation in a High-Fat, High-Fructose Diet Mice Model. Cells 2021; 11:23. [PMID: 35011585 PMCID: PMC8750091 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cynanchum atratum, a medicinal herb, is traditionally used as an antidote, diuretic, and antipyretic in eastern Asia. The current study aimed to investigate the anti-fatty liver capacity of the ethanol extract of Cynanchum atratum (CAE) using a 10-week high-fat, high-fructose diet mouse model. A six-week treatment of CAE (from the fifth week) significantly attenuated the weights of the body, liver, and mesenteric fat without a change in diet intake. CAE also considerably restored the alterations of serum aminotransferases and free fatty acid, fasting blood glucose, serum and hepatic triglyceride, and total cholesterol, as well as platelet and leukocyte counts. Meanwhile, CAE ameliorated hepatic injury and lipid accumulation, as evidenced by histopathological and immunofluorescence observations. Additionally, CAE significantly lowered the elevation of hepatic TNF-α, the TNF-α/IL-10 ratio, fecal endotoxins, and the abundance of Gram-negative bacteria. Hepatic lipogenesis and β-oxidation-related proteins and gene expression, including PPAR-α, SREBP-1, SIRT1, FAS, CTP1, etc., were normalized markedly by CAE. In particular, the AMPK, a central regulator of energy metabolism, was phosphorylated by CAE at an even higher rate than metformin. Overall, CAE exerts anti-hepatic steatosis effects by reducing lipogenesis and enhancing fatty acid oxidation. Consequently, Cynanchum atratum is expected to be a promising candidate for treating chronic metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Hua Wang
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Korea;
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Korea
| | - Seung-Ju Hwang
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Korea;
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Korea
| | - Dong-Woo Lim
- Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Dongguk-Ro 32, Goyang 10326, Korea;
- Institute of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Dongguk-Ro 32, Goyang 10326, Korea
| | - Chang-Gue Son
- Institute of Bioscience & Integrative Medicine, Daejeon University, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Korea;
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Korea
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Tsai LW, Lu YH, Dubey R, Chiou JF. Reenvisioning Traditional to Regenerative Therapeutic Advances in Managing Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Diabetes Mellitus. J Diabetes Res 2021; 2021:7692447. [PMID: 34805412 PMCID: PMC8601846 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7692447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Reports indicate the increasing prevalence of liver disorders in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Clinically, it has also been revealed that the existence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) enhances the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), while T2DM exacerbates NAFLD to extremely severe forms of steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. This implies the coexistence and bidirectional nature of NAFLD and T2DM, which function synergistically to drive adverse consequences in clinical practice. For treatment of such comorbid state, though the existing practices such as lifestyle management, traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), and pharmaceuticals have offered somewhat relief, the debate continues about the optimal therapeutic impacts. Recent developments in the field of tissue engineering have led to a renewed interest in novel biomaterial alternatives such as stem cells. This might be attributable to their differentiation potential towards hepatic and pancreatic lineage. These cellular therapies could be further complemented by platelet-derived biomaterials, TCM formulations, or any specific drug. Based on these abovementioned approaches, we aimed to comprehensively analyze various preclinical and clinical studies from traditional to regenerative therapeutic approaches in managing concomitant NAFLD and T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lung-Wen Tsai
- Department of Medicine Research, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Information Technology Office, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Data Science, College of Management, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsiang Lu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Rajni Dubey
- Department of Medicine Research, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Fong Chiou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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Cho JH, Lee JS, Kim HG, Lee HW, Fang Z, Kwon HH, Kim DW, Lee CM, Jeong JW. Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Amomum villosum var. xanthioides Attenuates Hepatic Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis via Improvement of Antioxidant Capacities. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10070998. [PMID: 34201527 PMCID: PMC8300789 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10070998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), affects 25% of the global population. Despite the prevalence of NAFLD worldwide, effective therapeutics are currently lacking. Amomum villosum var. xanthioides (Wall. ex Baker) T.L.Wu & S.J.Chen (AX) is a medicinal herb traditionally used for treating digestive tract disorders in countries across Asia. We aimed to examine the pharmacological effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of AX (AXEF) against tunicamycin (TM)-induced ER stress in a NASH mouse model using C57/BL6J male mice. Following TM injections (2 mg/kg), the mice were orally administrated AXEF (12.5, 25, or 50 mg/kg), silymarin (50 mg/kg), or distilled water daily for 5 days, and the outcomes for fatty liver, inflammation, and oxidative stress were measured in serum or liver tissue levels. AXEF drastically attenuated hepatic ER stress-induced NASH as indicated by decreases in lipid droplet accumulations, serum liver enzymes, hepatic inflammations, and cell death signals in the hepatic tissue and/or serum levels. Interestingly, AXEF showed potent antioxidant effects by quenching reactive oxidative stress and its final product lipid peroxide in the hepatic tissue, specifically an increase in metallothionein (MT). To confirm the underlying actions of AXEF, we observed that AXEF increases MT1 gene promoter activities in the physiological levels. Collectively, AXEF showed antioxidant properties on TM-induced ER stress in a NASH mice model through the improvement of MTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hyo Cho
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (J.-H.C.); (H.-G.K.)
- Department of East & West Cancer Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, 75, Daedeok-daero 176, Seo-gu, Daejeon 35235, Korea
| | - Jong-Suk Lee
- Biocenter, Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator (GBSA), Suwon 16229, Korea;
| | - Hyeong-Geug Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (J.-H.C.); (H.-G.K.)
| | - Hye Won Lee
- Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, Korea;
| | - Zhigang Fang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China;
| | - Hyeok-Hee Kwon
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35015, Korea; (H.-H.K.); (D.W.K.)
| | - Dong Woon Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35015, Korea; (H.-H.K.); (D.W.K.)
| | - Chang-Min Lee
- Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, 137, Donam 2-gil, Sangju-si 37242, Gyeongsang-buk-do, Korea;
| | - Jin-Woo Jeong
- Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, 137, Donam 2-gil, Sangju-si 37242, Gyeongsang-buk-do, Korea;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-54-530-0883; Fax: +82-54-530-0889
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