Studying the potential of the Asian water plantain in treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), though not considered a serious disease, can graduate to an inflamed liver and possibly death. The extract of the Asian water plantain (Alisma orientale) was found in a study, published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine to protect the liver from the potentially harmful effects of NAFLD.

• The researchers simulated NAFLD by culturing HepG2 hepatocyte cells in a nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) mixture composed of oleic and palmitic acids. These cells were then treated with varying doses of A. orientale extract (AOE) for 24 hours before they were analyzed.
• Using the Oil Red O and Nile red staining tests, the researchers determined that the extract remained non-toxic up to a dosage of 300 micrograms per milliliter (mcg/mL).
• The treatment caused the down-regulation of Fatty acid synthase (FASN) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) mRNA.
• After treatment, the expression of Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) mRNA, p-JNK (the activated form of JNK), Bax, cleaved caspase-9, caspase-3 was decreased, indicating anti-apoptotic effects. Furthermore, the concentration of anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) protein level increased post-treatment.
• The expression of pro-inflammatory proteins (p-p65, p65, COX-2, and iNOS) was inhibited by the treatment.

The researchers concluded that the extract of the Asian water plantain has anti-steatosis effects on NEFA-induced NAFLD.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Learn which herbs you can use to treat NAFLD at Herbs.news.

Journal Reference:

Jeong HS, Cho YH, Kim KH, Kim Y, Kim KS, Na YC, Park J, Lee IS, Lee JH, Jang HJ. ANTI-LIPOAPOPTOTIC EFFECTS OF ALISMA ORIENTALIS EXTRACT ON NON-ESTERIFIED FATTY ACID-INDUCED HEPG2 CELLS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 25 July 2016;16(239). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1181-2