Abstract

We investigated the effect of the crude herbal extract from Uncaria tomentosa (UT) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in two models of obesity: high fat diet (HFD) and genetically obese (ob/ob) mice. Both obese mouse models were insulin resistant and exhibited an abundance of lipid droplets in the hepatocytes and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver, while only the HFD group had collagen deposition in the perivascular space of the liver. UT treatment significantly reduced liver steatosis and inflammation in both obese mouse models. Furthermore, serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 was reduced by 25% in the HFD mice treated with UT. Overall, UT treated animals exhibited higher insulin sensitivity as compared to vehicle administration. In conclusion, Uncaria tomentosa extract improved glucose homeostasis and reverted NAFLD to a benign hepatic steatosis condition and these effects were associated with the attenuation of liver inflammation in obese mice.

Details

Title
Uncaria tomentosa improves insulin sensitivity and inflammation in experimental NAFLD
Author
Araujo, Layanne C C 1 ; Feitosa, Karla B 2 ; Murata, Gilson M 1 ; Furigo, Isadora C 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Teixeira, Simone A 2 ; Lucena, Camila F 1 ; Ribeiro, Luciene M 1 ; Muscará, Marcelo N 2 ; Costa, Soraia K P 2 ; Donato, José, Jr 1 ; Bordin, Silvana 1 ; Curi, Rui 3 ; Carvalho, Carla R O 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

1  Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil 
2  Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil 
3  Interdisciplinar Post-Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil 
Pages
1-14
Publication year
2018
Publication date
Jul 2018
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29044-y
ProQuest document ID
2072696441
Copyright
© 2018. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.