Traditional Chinese Medicine improves dysfunction of peroxisome
proliferator-activated receptor α and microsomal
triglyceride transfer protein on abnormalities in lipid metabolism in
ethanol-fed rats
Affiliations: Department of Hygienic Chemistry, College of Pharmacy,
Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Se Young Choung, Ph.D., Department
of Hygienic Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul
130-701, Korea. Tel.: +82 2 961 0372; Fax: +82 2 961 0372; E-mail:
sychoung@khu.ac.kr
Abstract: We report the effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on
alcohol-induced fatty liver in rats. TCM consists of Astragalus membranaceus,
Morus alba, Crataegus pinnatifida, Alisma oriental, Salvia miltiorrhiza
and Pueraria lobata. The rats were separated randomly into five groups;
the CD group (n=10), which was fed a control diet for 10
weeks, the ED group (n=10), which was fed an isocaloric
liquid diet containing ethanol for 10 weeks and given daily oral doses of TCM
(0.222 g/kg/day; TCM222, 0.667 g/kg/day; TCM667, and 2.000 g/kg/day; TCM2000,
n=10, respectively) over the last four weeks of the study.
The ED group developed fatty livers, as determined by their lipid profiles and
liver histological findings. Compared with the control group, liver/body
weight, plasma triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC), liver TG and TC,
plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartic aminotransferase (AST)
significantly increased in the ED group. Also, free fatty acids (FFA) levels
increased in both plasma and liver during the administration of ethanol. On the
other hand, when rats were administrated with TCM, their liver/body weight,
plasma TG, TC and FFA, liver TG, TC and FFA, plasma ALT and AST decreased
significantly and the degree of hepatic lipid droplets was markedly improved
compared with those in the ED group. Proper function of the peroxisome
proliferator-activated receptor α
(PPARα) is essential for the regulation of hepatic
fatty acid metabolism. Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) is
essential for the secretion of triglycerides from the liver. mRNAs for
PPARα and MTP were reduced in the livers of ethanol-fed
rats. TCM restored the mRNA levels of PPARα and MTP,
and prevented development of fatty livers in ethanol-fed rats. Impairment of
PPARα and MTP function during ethanol consumption
contributes to the development of alcohol-induced fatty liver, which can be
overcome by TCM.
Journal: BioFactors, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 163-176, 2005
