Effects of tin caulis dendrobium polysaccharide on the prevention of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats

Abstract

ABSTRACT We aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of tin caulis dendrobium polysaccharide on body weight and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Sprague-Dawleg rats. The rats were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) with or without tin caulis dendrobium polysaccharide for eight weeks. Body weight, liver function tests, serum and liver lipids, liver morphology, and the expression of PPARγ and UCP2 were assessed. Rats fed HFD exhibited more obvious weight gain, increased serum, and hepatic lipids. But the more tin caulis dendrobium polysaccharide they fed, the lower increase in weight, serum, and hepatic lipids of rats were found. Furthermore, the expression of PPARγ and UCP2 decreased in rats fed tin caulis dendrobium polysaccharide compared with HFD-fed rats. Tin caulis dendrobium polysaccharide may downregulate the expression of PPARγ and UCP2 in liver and protect against body weight gain and liver fat deposition.

Keywords

• fatty liver
• high-fat diet
• intervention
• mechanisms