Protective effects and mechanisms of Lizhong decoction(理中汤) against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a rat model

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects and molecular mechanisms of Lizhong decoction( 理中汤, LZD) against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). METHODS: Male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet for four weeks to induce NAFLD, and were administered LZD by gavage for four weeks. Potential therapeutic targets for NAFLD were analyzed using network pharmacology. Liver pathology was evaluated using Oil Red O and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Furthermore, mitochondrial function, lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response were examined. RESULTS: Rats with NAFLD exhibited high levels of hepatic damage and cholesterol deposition. Moreover, apoptosis was increased, superoxide dismutase and glutathione content were reduced, malondialdehyde content was increased, and the protein expression of inflammatory cytokines and p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase was increased. The LZD treatment ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced liver damage,inhibited oxidative stress and inflammatory response, upregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(PPAR)-γ expression, and suppressed dipeptidyl peptidase 4(DPP4) expression in the liver. CONCLUSION: It was found that LZD alleviates NAFLD by activating PPAR-γ and inhibiting DPP4.