Fruiting body of Niuchangchih (Antrodia camphorata) protects livers against chronic alcohol consumption damage

J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Mar 24;58(6):3859-66. doi: 10.1021/jf100530c.

Abstract

An alcoholic fatty liver disease was induced by drinking water containing 20% (w/w) alcohol. Therapeutic groups were orally administrated dosages of 0.25 g silymarin/kg body weight (BW) and a low dosage of Niuchangchih (Antrodia camphorata) (0.025 g/kg BW) and a high dosage of Niuchangchih (0.1 g/kg BW) per day. Niuchangchih, especially at the high dosage, not only showed a hypercholesterolemic effect (p < 0.05) but also reduced (p < 0.05) hepatic lipids in alcohol-fed rats. Those beneficial effects could be partially attributed to higher (p < 0.05) fecal cholesterol and bile acid outputs, as well as downregulations (p < 0.05) of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and malic enzyme gene expressions; meanwhile, there was an upregulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor and peroxisome proliferator-activated alpha gene expression. Besides, Niuchangchih also enhanced (p < 0.05) the liver glutathione, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and decreased the liver malondialdehyde content, which also partially contributed to the lowered (p < 0.05) serum aspartate aminotransferase levels and no observed lesion in the histological examination of alcohol-fed rats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antrodia / chemistry*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / drug therapy
  • Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / prevention & control*
  • Fruiting Bodies, Fungal / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Male
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Silymarin / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Silymarin