Cao Yi, Pan Qin, Cai Wei, Shen Feng, Chen Guang-Yu, Xu Lei-Ming, Fan Jian-Gao
Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Lab of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai 200092, China, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Lab of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai 200092, China.
Arch Iran Med. 2016 Mar;19(3):197-203.
Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota underlies non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Ingredient of Chinese herbal medicine, berberine, has been proved to regulate the gut microbiota without systemic side effects. Therefore, we explored its effects on NASH induced by high-fat diet (HFD).
BALB/c mice were randomized into three groups, including: control, model, and berberine treatment. With the exception of the control group with the standard diet, the model, and the treatment groups were treated by HFD. Mice from treatment group were further subjected to berberine (200 mg/kg/d) gavage since the 5th week. At the end of the 13th week, gut bacteria, liver endotoxin receptor, and inflammation cytokines were assessed by real-time PCR. NASH and its predisposing factors were evaluated biochemically and pathologically.
Compared to their decreases in the model group, berberine administration restored the relative level of Bifidobacteria (2.16 ± 0.63 vs. 0.50 ± 0.08, P < 0.01) and the ratio of Bacteroidetes/ Firmicutes (0.76 ± 0.26 vs. 0.39 ± 0.11, P < 0.01), respectively, in the treatment groups. Microbiota restoration led to significant reductions in body weight, serum levels of lipids, glucose, insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Improvements were also observed in the serum transaminase activity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score, which demonstrated the attenuation of NASH. Mechanically, expression levels of CD14, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α were statistically down-regulated (treatment group vs model group, P < 0.01).
Berberine alleviates NASH and its predisposing factors. Normalization of gut microbiota might underlie its effect.
肠道微生物群失调是非酒精性脂肪性肝炎（NASH）的基础。中药成分黄连素已被证明可调节肠道微生物群且无全身副作用。因此，我们探讨了其对高脂饮食（HFD）诱导的NASH的影响。
将BALB/c小鼠随机分为三组，包括：对照组、模型组和黄连素治疗组。除给予标准饮食的对照组外，模型组和治疗组均给予HFD。治疗组小鼠从第5周起进一步接受黄连素（200mg/kg/d）灌胃。在第13周结束时，通过实时PCR评估肠道细菌、肝脏内毒素受体和炎症细胞因子。通过生化和病理方法评估NASH及其诱发因素。
与模型组相比，黄连素给药使治疗组双歧杆菌的相对水平（2.16±0.63对0.50±0.08，P<0.01）和拟杆菌门/厚壁菌门的比例（0.76±0.26对0.39±0.11，P<0.01）分别恢复。微生物群的恢复导致体重、血清脂质、葡萄糖、胰岛素水平以及胰岛素抵抗的稳态模型评估显著降低。血清转氨酶活性和非酒精性脂肪性肝病活动评分也有所改善，这表明NASH有所减轻。从机制上讲，CD14、IL-1、IL-6和TNF-α的表达水平在统计学上下调（治疗组与模型组相比，P<0.01）。
黄连素可减轻NASH及其诱发因素。肠道微生物群的正常化可能是其作用的基础。
