Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research (한방비만학회지)

The Society of Korean Medicine for obesity Research (한방비만학회)
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A Study on the Effects and Mechanisms of the Combination Extract of Ephedrae Herba and Coicis Semen on Lipid Accumulation and Glucose Absorption in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

마황과 의이인 혼합추출물이 비알콜성 지방간 모델에서 지질 축적 및 포도당 흡수에 미치는 효과 및 기전 연구

  • Ga-Ram Yu (Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University) ;
  • Hye-Lin Jin (Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University) ;
  • Dong-Woo Lim (Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University) ;
  • Won-Hwan Park (Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University)
  • 유가람 (동국대학교 한의과대학 진단학교실) ;
  • 진혜린 (동국대학교 한의과대학 진단학교실) ;
  • 임동우 (동국대학교 한의과대학 진단학교실) ;
  • 박원환 (동국대학교 한의과대학 진단학교실)
  • Received : 2024.03.12
  • Accepted : 2024.05.11
  • Published : 2024.06.30
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Abstract

Objectives: Ephedrae herba (EH) and Coicis semen (CS) has been frequently prescribed for the treatment of obesity. However, effects of combinational extracts of these two herbs on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of EH and CS on lipid accumulation and glucose absorption in free fatty acids (FFAs) or palmitic acid (PA)-treated HepG2 cells. Methods: Five samples of EH and CS were extracted by combination ratios (S1=0:100, S2=25:75, S3=50:50, S4=75:25, S5=100:0). Oil Red O staining was used to measure lipid accumulation in FFAs-induced steatosis cells. Intracellular triglycerides and total cholesterol levels were measured in FFAs-induced steatotic HepG2 cells. In PA-treated cells, intracellular 2-NBDG was detected using a fluorescence microplate reader and flow cytometry. Phosphorylation of key metabolism-related factors of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, expression of key lipid synthesis-related factors carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 alpha (CPT1α), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) were confirmed by western blot. Results: Treatment of EH-CS combination in the FFAs-induced steatotic HepG2 cells significantly reduced lipid accumulation. As the relative ratio of Ephedrae herba increased, the lipid-lowering effects of the combination were increased. However, S1 and S5 of Ephedrae herba and Coicis semen did not significantly reduce triglycerides and total cholesterol induced by FFAs. However, the combination of Ephedrae herba and Coicis semen restored glucose absorption in PA-induced HepG2 cells. Major makers of SREBP1, PPARγ, C/EBPα, and CPT1α expression tended to decrease with EH ratio. Conclusions: The EH-CS combination has advantages over sole EH and CS extracts in improving lipid and glucose metabolism in liver steatosis models.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 논문은 2021년도 정부(교육부)의 재원으로 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 기초연구사업임(No. 2021R1A6A3A01086718).

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