Published online Jun 28, 2019. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i24.3056
Peer-review started: February 22, 2019
First decision: February 26, 2019
Revised: May 28, 2019
Accepted: May 31, 2019
Article in press: June 1, 2019
Published online: June 28, 2019
The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) dramatically increased in the last few decades. Unfortunately, until now, the clinical treatment of this common chronic liver disease is difficult, and some new effective therapies are needed.
Some herbal medicines have hepatoprotective effects, so we want to know if some famous prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine can provide beneficial effects on NAFLD.
To explore the effects of Si-Ni-San, a famous prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, on NAFLD and intestinal microbiota.
We intragastrically administered Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder (5.0 g/kg) to mice, which were allowed ad libitum access to a high fat diet. After 12 wk of treatment, we measured body weight, liver index, visceral fat index, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), portal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), liver tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, liver triglycerides and intestinal microbiota, and we compared the results of these parameters with mice in another group to find whether Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder have some beneficial effects on NAFLD.
After Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder treatment, the levels of body weight, liver index, visceral fat index, serum ALT, portal LPS, liver TNF-α and liver triglycerides were improved. The composition of intestinal microbiota was also changed, especially the Oscillospira genus.
Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder can ameliorate NAFLD by an anti-inflammatory action and intestinal microbiota-changing effect.
Although we provide basis for the clinical use of Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder and some underlying mechanisms of its action, the effects of Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder on the metabolism of intestinal microbiota and some cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6, need to be addressed in future studies.