Study on the mechanism of Shuganzhi Tablet against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and lipid regulation effects of its main substances in vitro

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Shuganzhi Tablet (SGZT) originates from a famous traditional Chinese herbal formula Chaihu Decoction which can be applied to treat liver diseases, however, the pharmacodynamic mechanism of SGZT needs to be evaluated.

Aim of this study: To study the mechanism of SGZT in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and screen out its effective ingredients.

Materials and methods: In this study, firstly, the main components of SGZT were analyzed qualitatively. And a rat model of NAFLD was established by feeding high-fat diet. Serum biochemical indexes and liver pathological analysis were used to evaluate the pharmacodynamic effect of SGZT in the treatment of NAFLD. In order to explore the pharmacodynamic mechanism, proteomics and metabolomics analysis were used. Western blotting was used to verify the expression of important differential proteins. And L02 cells were treated with free fatty acids (FFA) and the main substances of SGZT to establish the cell model of NAFLD in vitro and to reveal the pharmacodynamic substance of SGZT.

Results: Twelve components were detected in SGZT, and according to the results of serum biochemical indexes and liver pathological analysis, SGZT could effectively treat NAFLD. Combined with the results of bioinformatics analysis, we found that 133 differentially expressed proteins were reversed in liver samples of rats treated with SGZT. The important proteins in PPAR signaling pathway, steroid biosynthesis, cholesterol metabolism and fatty acid metabolism were mainly regulated to maintain cholesterol homeostasis and improve lipid metabolism. SGZT also affected various metabolites in rat liver, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and taurine. In addition, the main components contained in SGZT (hesperidin, polydatin, naringin, emodin, specnuezhenide, saikosaponin A) and a metabolite (resveratrol) could significantly reduce FFA-induced intracellular lipid accumulation.

Conclusion: SGZT effectively treated NAFLD, and PPAR-γ, Acsl4, Plin2 and Fads1 may be the main targets of SGZT. And Fads1-EPA/DHA-PPAR-γ may be the potential pharmacodynamic pathway. Cell experiments in vitro revealed that the main components of SGZT and their metabolites, such as hesperidin, polydatin, naringin, emodin, specnuezhenide, saikosaponin A and resveratrol may be the main components of its efficacy. Further research is needed to reveal and validate the pharmacodynamic mechanism.

Keywords: Metabolomics; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Proteomics; Shuganzhi tablet.