Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits prevent high-fat/ethanol diet-induced alcoholic fatty liver in rats via AMPK/SREBP-1/FAS signaling pathway

摘要

The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits against high-fat/ethanol diet-induced alcoholic fatty liver in rats. A total of 9 and 12 phenolic compounds were respectively identified and quantified by UHPLC-HRMS/MS in the ethanol and water extracts of the fruits. Both extracts significantly improved biochemical parameters, including TG, TC, ALT, HDL-C, and MDA, and endogenous antioxidant enzymes; these effects were especially obvious in the high-dose ethanol extract (TG: 25.4 vs 20.5 mmol/g protein; ALT: 89.9 vs 48.3 U/L; MDA: 13.3 vs 7.6 nmol/mg protein). Steatosis and liver damage were significantly ameliorated by treatment with the extracts. Western blot analysis revealed that both extracts upregulated the protein expression of p-AMPK and PPAR-alpha and downregulated the expression of SREBP-1, FAS, and CYP2E1. The results suggest that Rhus chinensis Mill. fruits may provide a potential dietary therapy for preventing and/or alleviating alcohol fatty liver disease.