The Chinese medicine formulation, Chaihu Shugan San, demonstrated a positive therapeutic effect on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rats with insulin resistance.
In the methodology, male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups for the study: a control group, a model group, a Dongbao Gantai group given 0.09 g methionine/kg, and Chaihu Shugan San high, medium, and low dose groups given 12.6, 6.3, and 3.15 g of the medicine respectively per kg. After establishing the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease rat model, treatment continued for 8 weeks. Measurements such as total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, free fatty acids, fasting blood glucose, and fasting insulin levels in blood serum were recorded. Various indices were also evaluated, and the expression levels of adiponectin and leptin mRNA in liver tissue were analyzed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.
In discussing the results, a significant decline in serum levels such as total cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, fasting blood glucose, and insulin was noted in the high, medium, and low dose groups when compared to the model group. Additionally, the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a homeostasis model assessment for insulin secretion significantly increased. Furthermore, there was a notable decrease in the expression of leptin mRNA, and an increase in adiponectin mRNA in the treated group's liver. The fatty deposition of liver cells was also found to be alleviated in the treated groups.
