Effect of Litchi chinensis on adipose and hepatic tissues in rats with obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Abstract

The use of lychee extract as a supplemental therapeutic to ameliorate diabetes, obesity and its complications, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, has been investigated to determine whether lychee can act as a functional food during the development of obesity. Objective: to evaluate the effect of the pulp of Litchi chinensis dietary on adipose and hepatic tissues associated with the development of obesity and fatty liver in Wistar rats. Methodology: four groups of rats were used control group (C), Metabolic syndrome (MS) Lychee-Sucrose (Lch-Suc) and Lychee without sucrose (Lch). The dose of pulp of lychee was 40% p/v for 5 weeks. However, very little is known about the hypertrophy of hepatic tissues during the development of obesity and fatty liver in Wistar rats. Methodology: The following four groups of rats were used: control (C), metabolic syndrome (MS), Lychee-Sucrose (Lch-Suc) and Lychee without sucrose (Lch). The dosage of lychee pulp was 40% p/v for 5 weeks. Results: We observed differences in the abdominal fat weights between the C and MS groups. In the Lch group, the adipose tissue weight, triglycerides (36%) and cholesterol (11%) were significantly lower than those in the MS group. The MS, Lch-Suc and Lch groups showed macrovesicular steatosis, which was not found in the C group. Finally, the number of small adipocytes (areas < 2000 µm2) was higher in the Lch group than in the MS group and the Lch-Suc group. Conclusion: Lychee pulp in drinking water affected the cellular dynamics of adipose tissue, reducing the hypertrophy of adipocytes and exerting an effect that countered the accumulation of fat in the liver tissue of Wistar rats. Keywords: Litchi chinensis Sonn, Adipose tissue, Hepatic tissue, Obesity, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease