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Effects of traditional Chinese medicine Chaihu-Shugan-San aqueous extract on high-fat diet-induced liver steatosis in rats via intestinal microbiota metabolite SCFAs and its receptor Gpr43/109a

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Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases in adults around China and the world. The study explores protective effect of traditional Chinese medicine Chaihu-Shugan-San decoction on high-fat diet-induced liver steatosis in rats via intestinal microbiota metabolite short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and its receptor Gpr43/109a. Fifteen male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups of five rats each: the control group (standard diet), High-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD group (83% standard diet + 10% lard oil + 5% sucrose + 1.5% cholesterol + 0.5% cholate), and Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS)-treated group (HFD + 9.6 g/kg body weight gastric administration of CSS decoction every day). Body composition, hepatic fat, intestinal mucosal permeability and SCFAs, Gpr43 and Gpr109a expression in colonic tissues were assessed. Compared with NAFLD group, CSS decoction significantly reduced body weight, liver weight, hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol (P < 0.05), and increased colonic SCFAs and occludin expression. The levels of Gpr43 and Gpr109a also changed significantly (P < 0.05). Protective effect of CSS decoction in HFD-induced NAFLD rats might improve intestinal mucosal permeability and intestinal microbiota metabolite SCFAs through Gpr43 and Gpr109a pathways in colonic tissues.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by National Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong in China (no. A2017228, A2017140, A2020137 and A2021000), Traditional Chinese Medicine Bureau of Guangdong in China (no. 20161065 and 20201075), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong in China (no. 2016A030313824 and 2019A1515010865) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 81774165 and 81873206).

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Author notes

  1. Yinji Liang and Chenli Lin have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China

    Yinji Liang

  2. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China

    Yinji Liang, Yuanjun Deng, Yupei Zhang & Qinhe Yang

  3. School of Medicine, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China

    Chenli Lin

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  1. Yinji Liang
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  2. Chenli Lin
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  3. Yuanjun Deng
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  4. Yupei Zhang
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  5. Qinhe Yang
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Correspondence to Qinhe Yang.

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Ethical statement

The study received clearance from the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee Jinan University (Reference no. 20151222175501, Guangzhou, China).

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Liang, Y., Lin, C., Deng, Y. et al. Effects of traditional Chinese medicine Chaihu-Shugan-San aqueous extract on high-fat diet-induced liver steatosis in rats via intestinal microbiota metabolite SCFAs and its receptor Gpr43/109a. ADV TRADIT MED (ADTM) 22, 395–400 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-021-00552-z

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