Green edible crataegi fructus-derived carbon dots ameliorate hyperlipidemia via the PPARα signaling pathway
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Updated: Nov 2, 2026
Network Pharmacology Prediction and Metabolomics Validation of the Mechanism of Fructus Phyllanthi against Hyperlipidemia
Published on: April 7, 2023
Guojiao Shang1, Yafang Zhao1,2, Ertong Dai1
1School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Background:
Hyperlipidemia (HL) is a lipid metabolism disorder that contributes significantly to the global burden of metabolic diseases. Hence, novel pharmacological interventions are urgently needed. Our study explored the potential mechanisms by which Crataegi Fructus Carbonisata carbon dots (CFC-CDs) act against hyperlipidemia through in vivo and in vitro experiments.
Methods:
We prepared CFC-CDs and comprehensively characterized them. Subsequently, we assessed the effects of CFC-CDs on serum lipid profiles in a high-fat diet-induced rat model and used transcriptomic analysis to explore the potential mechanisms underlying their lipid-lowering effects. Additionally, we developed an in vitro model of sodium oleate (OA)-induced lipid deposition in HepG2 cells and validated it using the PPARα inhibitor GW6471.
Results:
The CFC-CDs had an ultrasmall size ranging from 1.34 to 4.67 nm and an interplanar spacing of approximately 0.210 nm. Their surfaces contained functional groups, including-OH, C=O, and C=N. These CDs exhibited excellent biocompatibility. Animal studies demonstrated that oral treatment with CFC-CDs markedly reduced high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemia. Liver transcriptome analysis indicated that CFC-CDs exerted lipid-lowering effects primarily by activating the PPARα signaling pathway, suggesting that CFC-CDs have significant metabolic reprogramming capabilities. CFC-CDs also exhibited excellent lipid-lowering effects in vitro, and the PPARα inhibitor GW6471 reversed the protective effects of CFC-CDs, thereby leading to lipid accumulation. CFC-CDs may be a potential therapeutic agent for HL.
Conclusion:
The above evidence suggests that CFC-CDs synthesized by one-step calcination can significantly improve lipid metabolism disorders. Our study shows that CFC-CDs are a biomass-derived carbonaceous nanomaterial exhibiting effective lipid-lowering properties and broadening their potential clinical applications. This research provides crucial insights into the use of CFC-CDs in metabolic disease treatment and lays a solid experimental foundation for developing a new lipid-lowering candidate.
