Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
Measurement of Fatty Acid β-Oxidation in a Suspension of Freshly Isolated Mouse Hepatocytes
Published on: September 9, 2021
Inhibitory effect of osthole on alcohol-induced fatty liver in mice
1Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
Background:
Alcohol is a major cause of fatty liver, the disease is a spectrum that is initiated with steatosis, and without therapy it is apt to develop inflammation, necrosis, fibrosis and finally cirrhosis. There are currently no ideal pharmacological reagents that can prevent or reverse this disease. Osthole is an active constituent isolated from the fruit of Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson, a Chinese herbal medicine, which has been used in clinics for many years. It has many functions such as anti-inflammation, anti-osteoporosis and anti-tumor and so on, but there is no report about treatment of alcoholic fatty liver in mice.
Aim:
To examine the inhibitory effect of osthole on alcohol-induced fatty liver in mice and to investigate the potential mechanisms.
Methods:
A mouse model with alcoholic fatty liver was induced by orally feeding 52% erguotou wine by gavage when they were simultaneously treated with osthole 10, 20, 40 mg/kg for 4 weeks. Whereafter, the lipids in serum and hepatic tissue, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione hormone (GSH), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in hepatic tissue, hepatic weight coefficient and its histological evaluation were measured.
Results:
After treatment with osthole, the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), coefficient of hepatic weight, and the hepatic tissue contents of TC and TG were significantly decreased, the levels of MDA and TNF-alpha in liver were also decreased, while the GSH in liver was increased. Importantly, the histological evaluation of liver specimens demonstrated that osthole dramatically decreased lipid accumulation.
Conclusion:
Osthole could inhibit alcohol-induced fatty liver in mice, and the mechanism might be associated with its anti-oxidation and suppression of TNF-alpha production.
Insights
Osthole effectively treats alcohol-induced fatty liver in mice by reducing liver lipids and inflammation. This natural compound shows promise for managing alcoholic fatty liver disease through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Hepatology
- Natural Products Chemistry
Background:
- Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) progresses from steatosis to cirrhosis without effective treatments.
- Osthole, a compound from traditional Chinese medicine, possesses various beneficial properties.
- Its efficacy against AFLD has not been previously reported.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate osthole's inhibitory effects on alcohol-induced fatty liver in a mouse model.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of osthole's action in AFLD.
Main Methods:
- An AFLD mouse model was established using oral alcohol administration.
- Mice were treated with varying doses of osthole (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) for four weeks.
- Key biochemical markers (lipids, MDA, SOD, GSH, TNF-alpha), hepatic weight, and liver histology were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Osthole treatment significantly reduced serum and hepatic lipid levels (total cholesterol, triglycerides).
- Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) decreased, while reduced glutathione (GSH) increased.
- Histological analysis confirmed a marked reduction in hepatic lipid accumulation.
Conclusions:
- Osthole demonstrates significant inhibitory effects against alcohol-induced fatty liver in mice.
- The therapeutic mechanism likely involves antioxidant activity and suppression of TNF-alpha.
- Osthole represents a potential therapeutic agent for managing AFLD.