1. Oral Administration of Hoodia parviflora Alleviates Insulin Resistance and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.
- Author
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Mizrahi M, Ben Ya'acov A, Adar T, Levy Sklair M, Gaska S, and Ilan Y
- Subjects
- Administration, Oral, Animals, Blood Glucose, Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury drug therapy, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Disease Models, Animal, Fatty Liver drug therapy, Glucose Tolerance Test, Hepatitis, Insulin blood, Interleukin-6 metabolism, Liver injuries, Liver metabolism, Liver pathology, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Rats, Triglycerides blood, Hoodia chemistry, Insulin Resistance, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease drug therapy, Plant Extracts pharmacology
- Abstract
Metabolic syndrome is recognized as a proinflammatory condition leading to hepatic steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We tested the effects of a succulent species Hoodia parviflora N.E. Br., of the genus Hoodia sweet ex Dence, on animal models of NASH and insulin resistance ( ob/ob mouse and the sand rat Psammomys obesus ). IL6 secretion was evaluated by ELISA and hepatic signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 by Western blot. We followed liver enzymes, weight, glucose, hepatic histology, hepatic triglycerides (TGs), and total fat and serum insulin. Oral administration of extracts derived from H. parviflora alleviated the insulin resistance manifested by improved glucose tolerance tests. Treatment alleviated the liver injury noted by a decrease in liver enzyme levels, improved intrahepatic TG content, total hepatic fat, and improved hepatic histology. Similarly, treatment with H. parviflora reduced hepatic inflammation in mice with Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis. These effects were independent of food consumption and weight. H. parviflora was associated with alleviated insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and liver injury. The data support its use as a liver protector.
- Published
- 2019
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