Unidad de Investigación Laboratorio de Investigación en Inmunología y Salud Publica, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Estado de México, Mexico.
Laboratorio de investigación integral cardiometabólica, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CDMX, Mexico.
J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 4;33(6):703-714. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2021-0285. eCollection 2022 Nov 1.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by a spectrum of diseases, ranging from simple steatosis to hepatocellular carcinoma. The main factors for NAFLD are closely related to obesity, insulin resistance, intestinal microbiota alterations, hyperinsulinism, low-grade systemic inflammation, nitroxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Currently, the treatment of NAFLD is based on diet and exercise because, to date, there is no specific pharmacological agent, already approved, that raises the need for new therapeutic strategies. Nutraceuticals, such as polyphenols, have potential beneficial effects for health. In this article, the beneficial effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epicatechin (EC) are discussed. EGCG is the main catechin in green tea, which has shown in various studies its potential effect preventing and treating NAFLD since it has shown antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, antioxidant, and improvement of liver lipid metabolism. However, it has been found that excessive consumption may cause hepatotoxicity. EC is widely distributed in nature (fruits and vegetables). This flavanol has shown many beneficial effects, including antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, antithrombotic, and antifibrotic properties. It increases mitochondrial biogenesis, and it also has effects on the regulation of synthesis and metabolism of lipids. This flavanol is a nontoxic substance; it has been classified by the United States Food and Drug Administration as harmless. The EC-induced effects can be useful for the prevention and/or treatment of NAFLD.
非酒精性脂肪性肝病 (NAFLD) 的特征是一系列疾病，从轻度单纯性脂肪变性到肝细胞癌不等。NAFLD 的主要因素与肥胖、胰岛素抵抗、肠道微生物群改变、高胰岛素血症、低度全身炎症、氮氧化物应激、脂质过氧化和线粒体功能障碍密切相关。目前，NAFLD 的治疗基于饮食和运动，因为迄今为止，还没有专门批准的药物可以治疗这种疾病，这就需要新的治疗策略。营养保健品，如多酚，对健康有潜在的有益作用。本文讨论了表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯 (EGCG) 和 (-)-表儿茶素 (EC) 的有益作用。EGCG 是绿茶中的主要儿茶素，多项研究表明，它具有预防和治疗 NAFLD 的潜在作用，因为它具有抗高血脂、抗炎、抗纤维化、抗氧化和改善肝脏脂质代谢的作用。然而，已经发现过量摄入可能会导致肝毒性。EC 广泛存在于自然界中 (水果和蔬菜)。这种黄烷醇具有许多有益的作用，包括降压、抗炎、抗高血糖、抗血栓形成和抗纤维化作用。它增加线粒体生物发生，还对脂质的合成和代谢调节有影响。这种黄烷醇是一种无毒物质；它已被美国食品和药物管理局归类为无害物质。EC 诱导的作用可用于预防和/或治疗 NAFLD。
