Preventive Effect Of Curcumin And Tetrahydrocurcumin On Experimental Fatty Liver In Vitro And Vivo

Objectives: The study aims is to establish a compound fatty liver model in vitro and in vivo, and then investigate the effects of curcumin (Cur) and tetrahydrocurcumin (THCUR) on the fatty liver.Methods: (1) The fatty liver model was established by treating human liver cell L02 with 0.8% ethanol and 5μg/ml palmitic acid in vitro. The MTT assay was used to choose the appropriate concentration of Cur and THCUR which would be used to treat fatty liver. Oil red O staining was used to observe the intracellular lipid droplet under light microscope. The content of intracellular TG was detected by TG assay kit. (2) The compound fatty liver models were induced by high-fat feed, intragastric administration with the alcohol and subcutaneous injection with CCl4. Sixty mice were randomly divided into six groups, including normal group, model group and three different doses groups of Cur or THCUR. On the 16th day, all the mice were killed, and then the contents of TG, CHO and LDL-C in serum and liver tissue were determined. The wet weight of liver and the liver index (liver/body) were measured. The change of liver histology was observed.Result: 1. (1) MTT assay showed out the appropriate concentration of Cur and THCUR on L02 cells: 2.5μM, 5.0μM, 10μM and 5.0μM, 10μM, 20μM, 25μM separately. (2) Oil red O staining presented a large quantity of orange-red or red lipid droplet in cytoplasm of L02 cells of model group under light microscope. As the management concentration of Cur and THCUR increasing, the amount of lipid droplet in the cells was lessening, especially in the cells that treated with 10μM of Cur and 25μM of THCUR. (3) According to the result of the oil red O staining, the 10μM of Cur and 25μM of THCUR were chose to treat the L02 cells in order to observe the effect of Cur and THCUR on cellular fatty liver model by detecting the intracellular TG. Compared with normal group, the intracellular TG level of the model group significant increased(P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the intracellular TG level of the groups that dealt with Cur and THCUR were notably decreased by 25.6%, 41.3% separately, P<0.05. 2.(1) The compound fatty liver model in mice was established successfully by high-fat feed, intragastric administration with the alcohol and subcutaneous injection with CCl4. The contents of TG, CHO and LDL-C in the serum and the liver in the model group were significant increased compared with the normal group, P<0.01. The wet weight of liver and the liver index were also increased. The livers of the model group were confirmed as fatty liver in histology. (2) The contents of TG, CHO and LDL-C in the serum and the liver were decreased in the groups of Cur compared with the model group,especially the group of 300mg/kg of Cur. The liver histology and liver index of the Cur groups were better than that of the model group. (3) Compared with the model group, THCUR caused a significant reduction in the level of TG, CHO and LDL-C in the serum and the liver tissue. And the effect may depend on its dose. Especially,the amendment of them in the groups of 300mg/kg of THCUR was significant statistically.Conclusion: 1. Both Cur and THCUR were able to prevent fatty liver induced by 0.8% ethanol and 5μg/ml palmitic acid in vitro. They both decreased lipid droplet and intracellular TG efficiently. 2. Both solid dispersion of Cur and THCUR showed preventive effect on experimental fatty liver induced by high-fat feed, intragastric administration with the alcohol and subcutaneous injection with CCl4 in a dose-dependent manner.