Effect of Chinese Herbal Monomer Hairy Calycosin on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Rats and its Mechanism

Background: Chinese herbal monomer hairy Calycosin is a flavonoid extracted from Radix astragali. Aims and Scope: The aim of the research was to investigate the effect and mechanism of Hairy Calycosin on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Dieases (NAFLD) in rats. Materials and Methods: 60 rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, then NAFLD rat models were prepared and treated with different doses of Hairy Calycosin (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg/kg) or Kathyle relatively. Results: Both 1.0 mg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg Hairy Calycosin treatment could significantly increase the serum Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) content of the model rats and reduce the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Free Fatty Acid (FFA), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and liver homogenate malondialdehyde (MDA), while 2.0 mg/kg Hairy Calycosin can down-regulate liver tissue cytochrome p450 2E1 (CYP2E1). In the electron microscope, compared with the model control group, the mitochondrial swelling in the hepatocytes of Hairy Calycosin (1.0, 2.0 mg/kg) treatment group was significantly reduced, the ridge on the inner membrane of mitochondria increased, and the lipid droplets became much smaller. Conclusion: Hairy Calycosin can effectively control the lipid peroxidation in liver tissues of rats with NAFLD, and reduce the levels of serum TNF-α, IL-6, MDA and FFA, effectively improve the steatosis and inflammation of liver tissue, and down-regulate the expression of CYP2E1, inhibit apoptosis of hepatocytes.