PUBLICATION
Picrosides-rich fraction from Picrorhiza kurroa attenuates steatohepatitis in zebrafish and mice by modulating lipid metabolism and inflammation
- Authors
- Katoch, S., Chhimwal, J., Singh, D., Kumar, D., Patial, V.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-250121-11
- Date
- 2025
- Source
- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology 137: 156368156368 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Singh, Damanpreet
- Keywords
- Inflammation, Lipogenesis, Liver, Mitochondrial stress, NASH, Picrosides
- MeSH Terms
-
- Lipid Metabolism*/drug effects
- Oxidative Stress/drug effects
- Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease*/drug therapy
- Liver/drug effects
- Liver/metabolism
- Inflammation/drug therapy
- Male
- Plant Extracts/pharmacology
- Zebrafish*
- Disease Models, Animal*
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice
- Animals
- Picrorhiza*/chemistry
- Methionine/deficiency
- PubMed
- 39827774 Full text @ Phytomedicine
Citation
Katoch, S., Chhimwal, J., Singh, D., Kumar, D., Patial, V. (2025) Picrosides-rich fraction from Picrorhiza kurroa attenuates steatohepatitis in zebrafish and mice by modulating lipid metabolism and inflammation. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology. 137:156368156368.
Abstract
Background Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has become a serious public health concern with high global prevalence. The lack of safe and efficient treatment for the condition demands exploring new therapeutic solutions.
Purpose In the present study, we investigated the protective efficacy of picrosides-rich fraction (PF) from Picrorhiza kurroa against steatohepatitis and revealed the molecular mechanism of action.
Methods PF was prepared and characterized using UPLC analysis. Initially, the efficacy of PF was studied on the zebrafish model of NASH. Further, a Methionine and Choline-Deficient (MCD) diet-induced NASH model in mice was employed to evaluate the hepatoprotective efficacy of PF by utilizing biochemical, histopathological and molecular studies.
Results The UPLC analysis revealed the presence of 29.11% and 29.86% picroside I and II in the PF, respectively. In the zebrafish model of NASH, PF treatment reduced the hepatic lipid accumulation and modulated the expressions of lipogenic, inflammatory, oxidative, and cellular stress genes. Further, in MCD diet-induced NASH in mice, PF treatment showed a significant improvement in body weights and serum liver injury markers. Reduced degenerative changes and fibrous tissue was observed in the PF-treated groups. The downregulated expression of Srebp1c, Cd36, Fas, Chrebp, Pparγ, and Hnf4α showed anti-lipogenic potential of PF treatment. NASH development followed oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation in the liver of mice. However, PF treatment encouraged mitochondrial biogenesis by upregulating Pgc1α, Tfam, and Nrf2 expressions. The elevated levels of NFκB, TNFα, IL6, TGFβ, and αSMA were also restored by PF, advocating its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrogenic effect.
Conclusion The present study revealed that PF ameliorate the progression of NASH by increasing mitochondrial biogenesis and decreasing lipogenesis, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping