Indole alkaloids of Alstonia scholaris(L.)R.Br.alleviated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice fed with high-fat diet

Alstonia scholaris(L.)R.Br(Apocynaceae)is a well-documented medicinal plant for treating respiratory diseases,liver diseases and diabetes traditionally.The current study aimed to investigate the effects of TA on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).A NAFLD model was established using mice fed a high-fat diet(HFD)and administered with TA(7.5,15 and 30 mg/kg)orally for 6 weeks.The biochemical parameters,expressions of lipid metabolism-related genes or proteins were analyzed.Furthermore,histopathological examinations were evaluated with Hematoxylin-Eosin and MASSON staining.TA treatment significantly decreased the bodyweight of HFD mice.The concentrations of low-density lipoprotein(LDL),triglyceride(TG),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT)were also decreased significantly in TA-treated mice group,accompanied by an increase in high-density lipoprotein(HDL).Furthermore,TA alleviated hepatic steatosis injury and lipid droplet accumulation of liver tissues.The liver mRNA levels involved in hepatic lipid synthesis such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1C(SREBP-1C),regulators of liver X receptorα(LXRα),peroxisome proliferator activated receptor(PPAR)γ,acetyl-CoA carboxylase(ACC1)and stearyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase-1(SCD1),were markedly decreased,while the expressions involved in the regulation of fatty acid oxidation,PPARα,carnitine palmitoyl transterase 1(CPT1A),and acyl coenzyme A oxidase 1(ACOX1)were increased in TA-treated mice.TA might attenuate NAFLD by regulating hepatic lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation.