(-)-Epicatechin regulates blood lipids and attenuates hepatic steatosis in rats fed high-fat diet
Abstract
SCOPE: (-)-Epicatechin (EC) is a natural flavanol monomer found in cocoa, green tea, and a variety of other plant foods. In this study, effects of EC on blood lipids and hepatic steatosis, and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: A hyperlipidemic rat model was induced by high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. EC was then administrated to the animals by gavage at doses of 10, 20, 40 mg/kg body weight (BW) for 12 weeks. Simvastatin was included as a positive control. The results showed that EC significantly reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride, alleviated liver fat accumulation, while increased HDL cholesterol, in hyperlipidemic rats. EC also reduced lipid peroxidation, inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokines, and lowered serum AST and ALT. The potential molecular mechanisms of EC underlying these effects were proposed to be associated to regulating Insig-1-SREBP-SCAP pathway, and other lipid metabolic related genes including LXR-α, FAS, and SIRT1. CONCLUSION: EC effectively improved blood lipid profile and protected liver from accumulating excessive fat in hyperlipidemic rats. The results shed a light on the potential role of EC as a promising natural product in preventing hyperlipidemia and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
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SREBP-1c preferentially enhances transcription of genes required for fatty acid synthesis.
“Sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c (SREBP-1c) can preferentially enhance the transcription of genes required for fatty acid synthesis [11].”
From Regulatory Efficacy of the Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Microalgae Spirulina platensis on Lipid Metabolism and Gut Microbiota in High-Fat Diet Rats (2018) · cites this paper as [11]
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Li, T.-T., Liu, Y.-Y., Wan, X.-Z., Huang, Z.-R., Liu, B., & Zhao, C. (2018) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms19103075 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
- Authors
- Cheng, H., Xu, N., Zhao, W., Su, J., Liang, M., Xie, Z., Wu, X., & Li, Q.
- Affiliations
- Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Anhui Agricultural University (CN)
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Agricultural Research Service (US)
- Corresponding author
- Xie, Zhongwen
- Wu, Xianli
- Venue
- Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-08-29
- Volume
- 61
- Issue
- 11
- ISSN
- 1613-4125 (ISSN-L)
- 1613-4133
- OpenAlex
- W2738132656
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 59
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 6
- FWCI
- 5.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2016M601997)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Tea Polyphenols and Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
- Keywords
- epicatechin, flavan-3-ols, hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, lipid profile, liver X receptor alpha, Fas, SIRT1, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory cytokines, high-fat diet, simvastatin
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal, Hypolipidemic Agents, Antioxidants, Catechin, Cholesterol, Dietary, Hyperlipidemias, Liver, Male, Stereoisomerism, Lipid Peroxidation, Biomarkers, Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic, Cytokines, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Oxidative Stress, Dietary Supplements, Lipid Metabolism, Diet, High-Fat, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
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