Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Shenzhen Institute of Geriatrics, Shenzhen, 518037, China; The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Jun;126:109734. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.109734. Epub 2020 Feb 27.
Numerous researches supported that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was an emerging problem associated with increased visceral adiposity (obesity), diabetes and related metabolic disorders. Huang-Qi San (HQS) is composed of three traditional Chinese medicines (Astragali Radix, Pueraria Radix and Cortex Mori Radicis) with a weight ratio of 1:2:1. HQS has been reported to be effective in improving glucose-lipid metabolism, but its underlying mechanism on NAFLD has not been fully understood. The purpose of the present study was to assess the protective effects of HQS on obesity-induced hepatic steatosis in rats fed with high fat diet (HFD). Our data revealed that administration of HQS (1.2 and 2.4 g/kg body weight) resulted in significant reduction in body weight (BW) and organs coefficients of visceral fat. The full-Body CT scan demonstrated that HQS reduced liver fat ratio, visceral and subcutaneous fat mass in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, HQS decreased plasma TC, TG, FFA and FABP4 levels, normalized glucose and insulin levels, and improved the glucose tolerance. Pathological examination showed that HQS alleviated hepatic steatosis and reduced the cell size of epididymal visceral adipose tissue. Hepatic lipid accumulation was also reduced by HQS treatment compared with HFD fed rats. RNA-Seq analysis combining with qPCR demonstrated that the mRNA expression of some important glucose and lipid metabolism-related genes including Acat2, Apoc4, Bhmt, Cyp3a62, Cyp51, Egln3 (Phd3), Fads1, Fads2, Gnmt, Hmgcs1 and Pemt, were significantly changed by HQS treatment. Taken together, these results suggested that HQS had beneficial effects on glucose-lipid metabolism and hepatic steatosis, and its mechanism might be related to the functions of the genes in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism.
大量研究表明，非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）是一种与内脏肥胖（肥胖）、糖尿病和相关代谢紊乱相关的新兴问题。黄芪三（HQS）由三种中药（黄芪、葛根和桑白皮）组成，重量比为 1:2:1。据报道，HQS 能有效改善糖脂代谢，但对其治疗非酒精性脂肪性肝病的作用机制尚未完全阐明。本研究旨在评估 HQS 对高脂肪饮食（HFD）喂养大鼠肥胖诱导的肝脂肪变性的保护作用。我们的数据显示，HQS（1.2 和 2.4 g/kg 体重）给药可显著降低体重（BW）和内脏脂肪器官系数。全身 CT 扫描显示，HQS 以剂量依赖的方式降低肝脂肪比、内脏和皮下脂肪量。此外，HQS 降低了血浆 TC、TG、FFA 和 FABP4 水平，使血糖和胰岛素水平正常化，并改善了葡萄糖耐量。病理检查显示，HQS 减轻了肝脂肪变性，减小了附睾内脏脂肪组织的细胞大小。与 HFD 喂养的大鼠相比，HQS 治疗还减少了肝脂质堆积。RNA-Seq 分析结合 qPCR 表明，一些重要的糖和脂质代谢相关基因的 mRNA 表达，包括 Acat2、Apoc4、Bhmt、Cyp3a62、Cyp51、Egln3（Phd3）、Fads1、Fads2、Gnmt、Hmgcs1 和 Pemt，经 HQS 处理后显著改变。综上所述，这些结果表明 HQS 对糖脂代谢和肝脂肪变性有有益作用，其机制可能与调节糖和脂质代谢的基因功能有关。
