Published online Jun 28, 2019. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i24.3056
Peer-review started: February 22, 2019
First decision: February 26, 2019
Revised: May 28, 2019
Accepted: May 31, 2019
Article in press: June 1, 2019
Published online: June 28, 2019
Processing time: 127 Days and 21.5 Hours
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease worldwide. However, to date, there is no ideal therapy for this disease.
To study the effects of Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder on high fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice.
Twenty-four male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into three groups of eight. The control group (CON) was allowed ad libitum access to a normal chow diet. The high fat diet group (FAT) and Si-Ni-San group (SNS) were allowed ad libitum access to a high fat diet. The SNS group was intragastrically administered Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder (5.0 g/kg) once daily, and the CON and FAT groups were intragastrically administered distilled water. After 12 wk, body weight, liver index, visceral fat index, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), portal lipopoly-saccharide (LPS), liver tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and liver triglycerides were measured. Intestinal microbiota were analyzed using a 16S r DNA sequencing technique.
Compared with the FAT group, the SNS group exhibited decreased body weight, liver index, visceral fat index, serum ALT, portal LPS, liver TNF-α and liver triglycerides (P < 0.05). Intestinal microbiota analysis showed that the SNS group had different bacterial composition and function compared with the FAT group. In particular, Oscillospira genus was a bacterial biomarker of SNS group samples.
The beneficial effects of Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder on high fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice may be associated with its anti-inflammatory and changing intestinal microbiota effects.
Core tip: We studied the effects of Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder on high fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in mice. We found that Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder ameliorated high fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice, and the mechanism of action of Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder against NAFLD may be associated with its anti-inflammatory and changing intestinal microbiota effects. Our findings provide some useful information for therapy of NAFLD.