Therapeutic potential of policosanol in the concurrent management of dyslipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Background High-fat diet (HFD) possesses a major cause of cardiovascular disease, and hepatosteatosis. Unfortunately, long-term use of statins has a theoretical possibility of worsening of hepatic histology in the patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The objective of the study was to explore hepatoprotective potential of policosanol as an alternative to statins in experimental NAFLD. For the same, young male Wistar rats were fed with HFD for 8 weeks to induce NAFLD. 48 adult Wistar rats were distributed into six investigational groups: normal control, HFD control, and four treatment groups, receiving policosanol (50 and 100 mg/kg/day), atorvastatin (30 mg/kg/day), and silymarin (100 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks along with HFD. Result HFD consumption caused profound hepatotoxicity evident by hepatic oxidative stress, increased Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and bilirubin content. Treatment with policosanol (100 mg/kg) markedly reduced the elevated SGOT, SGPT, and ALP levels in HFD-fed rats. Moreover, policosanol significantly reduced hepatic oxidative stress manifest by reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased glutathione (GSH) level. The treatment with policosanol (100 mg/kg) was found to be more active in attenuating the HFD-induced hepatotoxicity as compared to policosanol (50 mg/kg) and atorvastatin (30 mg/kg). Moreover, we observed that the hepatoprotective potential of policosanol was comparable to the silymarin. Conclusions The results of the study clearly indicated that the policosanol could be considered an intriguing approach for the treatment of NAFLD.

Achillea Fragrantissima Ethanolic Extract Exerts Hypocholesterolemia and Hepatic Antioxidant Effects in High Fat-Cholesterol Diet: An Experimental Study

Background: Hypercholesterolemia and oxidative stress consider the main causes for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, that are one of the major non-communicable diseases responsible for more than a third of deaths in Saudi Arabia. Cholesterol-lowering medications as Atorvastatin® (ATOR) are linked to a variety of side effects. Achillea fragarntissima (AF) is a valuable medicinal plant in Saudi Arabia with potent antioxidant activity. Aim: The current study was performed to determine the efficacy of AF in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia through the antioxidant metabolic pathway. Methodology: Dried aerial parts of AF were extracted by ethanol (70%). Induction of hypercholesterolemia in rats was induced through feeding a high fat-cholesterol diet (HFCD) for 8 weeks. Rats were assigned to two main groups; control group (Cont, n=10) rats fed a standard diet, and hypercholesterolemic group (HFCD) (n=40) rats fed HFCD. The HFCD group was further assigned after measured lipid profile to confirm the induction of hypercholesterolemia to HFCD; HFCD+AF (hypercholesterolemic rats treated orally with 500 mg/kg AF); HFCD+ ATOR (hypercholesterolemic rats treated orally with 20 mg/kg ATOR, as a reference drug); and HFCD+AF+ATOR (hypercholesterolemic rats treated orally with AF+ ATOR). Different treatments were ingested to rats for 4 weeks. Results: The results revealed that the HFCD group showed significant hyperlipidemia (elevation of serum TC, TG, LDL-C, and VLDL-C levels concurrent with a reduction in serum HDL-C level); significant disturbance in liver functions (elevation in serum ALT, AST, and ALP enzymes activities); and significant oxidative stress (elevation in hepatic MDA level with a reduction in hepatic SOD activity) compared with the Cont group. Besides, hepatic central vein section showed deposition of large lipid within hepatocytes and abundant focal cell necrosis. Oral treatment with AF, ATOR, and the mixture of the drug and AF produced significant hypocholesterolemia, antioxidant, and improved liver function enzymes, with normalized hepatic central vein tissue compared with the HFCD group. The mixture of AF+ATOR had a superior effect than either treatment alone. Conclusion: In hypercholesterolemic rats, AF may be used to prevent atherosclerosis through improving lipid profile levels, protecting against hepatic oxidative stress, and ameliorating hepatic functions. Thus highlighting its valuable effects in the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Keywords: Achillea fragarntissima, lipid profile, hepatic oxidative stress, hepatic function, hypercholesterolemia.

Oleoylethanolamide Reduces Hepatic Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats

Long-term high-fat diet (HFD) consumption can cause weight gain and obesity, two conditions often associated with hepatic non-alcoholic fatty liver and oxidative stress. Oleoylethanolamide (OEA), a lipid compound produced by the intestine from oleic acid, has been associated with different beneficial effects in diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis. However, the role of OEA on hepatic oxidative stress has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used a model of diet-induced obesity to study the possible antioxidant effect of OEA in the liver. In this model rats with free access to an HFD for 77 days developed obesity, steatosis, and hepatic oxidative stress, as compared to rats consuming a low-fat diet for the same period. Several parameters associated with oxidative stress were then measured after two weeks of OEA administration to diet-induced obese rats. We showed that OEA reduced, compared to HFD-fed rats, obesity, steatosis, and the plasma level of triacylglycerols and transaminases. Moreover, OEA decreased the amount of malondialdehyde and carbonylated proteins and restored the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, which decreased in the liver of HFD-fed rats. OEA had also an improving effect on parameters linked to endoplasmic reticulum stress, thus demonstrating a role in the homeostatic control of protein folding. Finally, we reported that OEA differently regulated the expression of two transcription factors involved in the control of lipid metabolism and antioxidant genes, namely nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor 1 (Nrf1) and Nrf2, thus suggesting, for the first time, new targets of the protective effect of OEA in the liver.