Research Article Details

Article ID: A13533
PMID: 29927747
Source: J Complement Integr Med
Title: Terminalia Sericea aqueous leaf extract protects growing wistar rats against fructose-induced fatty liver disease.
Abstract: Background Terminalia sericea (T. sericea) is traditionally used to treat stomach ailments, infections, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Previous in vitro studies have reported that T. sericea has lipolytic properties. This study interrogated the effects of T. sericea on linear growth, development of fatty liver disease, viscera morphometry and health of growing rats fed a 12% fructose solution (FS). Methods Thirty 21-day old male Wistar rat pups were randomly allocated to five treatments: group I - plain gelatine cubes (PGC) + plain tap water (PW), group II - 12% FS + PGC, group III - gelatine cubes containing fenofibrate (Feno) at a dose of 100&#8201;mg/kg body + FS, group IV - gelatine cubes containing the low dose (100&#8201;mg/kg body mass per day) of the T. sericea extract (TsL) + FS, group V - gelatine cubes containing the high dose (400&#8201;mg/kg body mass per day) of the T. sericea extract (TsH) + FS. Following 12 weeks of feeding, the rats were fasted overnight, euthanized and plasma and viscera harvested for analysis. Results Consumption of fructose resulted in significantly increased (p<0.05) liver lipid content and caused macrovesicular steatosis. The T. sericea extracts at 400&#8201;mg/kg per day suppressed the fructose-induced liver lipid accumulation and macrovesicular steatosis similarly to 100&#8201;mg/kg per day of Feno. Conclusions These findings suggest that the aqueous T. sericea leaf extract at 400&#8201;mg/kg per day could potentially protect against fructose-induced lipid accumulation as well as macrovesicular steatosis.
DOI: 10.1515/jcim-2018-0035