Emodin ameliorates ethanol-induced fatty liver injury in mice

The liver plays a central role in ethanol (EtOH) metabolism, and oxidative stress is implicated in alcohol-mediated liver injury. The present study aimed to investigate the role of emodin in EtOH-induced fatty liver injury. Liver histology, biochemistry and gene-expression studies were performed. Mice fed with an EtOH-containing diet exhibited severe macrovesicular steatosis and higher serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. However, emodin ameliorated liver steatosis and lowered ALT and AST. Emodin also decreased hepatic triglyceride in mice fed with EtOH. In addition, emodin attenuates Oil Red O staining in alcoholic fatty liver in mice. Hepatic cytochrome P450 2E1 protein levels were upregulated in EtOH-fed mice, but downregulated in emodin-treated mice. In addition, emodin decreased hepatic oxidative stress. Furthermore, emodin significantly reduced liver α-smooth muscle actin and collagen type I, whereas it increased the mRNA levels of PPAR-γ. Taken together, emodin plays protective roles in alcohol-mediated liver steatosis.