Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) Pulp Phenolic Extract Confers a Protective Activity against Alcoholic Liver Disease in Mice by Alleviating Mitochondrial Dysfunction

J Agric Food Chem. 2017 Jun 21;65(24):5000-5009. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b01844. Epub 2017 Jun 8.

Abstract

Mitochondria play an important role in the initiation and development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Our previous studies found lychee pulp phenolic extract (LPPE) exerted protective effect against ALD partly by inhibiting fatty acid β-oxidation, and phenolic-rich lychee pulp extract improved restraint stress-induced liver injury by inhibiting mitochondrial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate whether LPPE exerted protective effect against ALD via modulating mitochondrial function. The mice were treated with an ethanol-containing liquid diet alone or in combination with LPPE for 8 weeks. LPPE supplementation significantly alleviated hepatic steatosis, suppressed serum aspartate aminotransferase activity, and decreased triglyceride levels in serum and liver. On the basis of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme analyses, LPPE supplementation inhibited serum and hepatic oxidative stress. Moreover, LPPE supplementation significantly suppressed mitochondrial 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine level, and increased mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial DNA content, activities of mitochondrial complexes I and IV, and hepatic ATP level. Furthermore, LPPE supplementation significantly inhibited cytoplasmic cytochrome c level and caspase-3 activity, repressed Bax expression and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and increased Bcl-2 expression in liver. In summary, LPPE exerts beneficial effects against alcoholic liver injury by alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction.

Keywords: Lychee pulp phenolic extract; alcoholic liver disease; mitochondrial dysfunction; oxidative stress.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Cytochromes c / metabolism
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Litchi / chemistry*
  • Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / metabolism
  • Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mitochondria / drug effects*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Phenols / administration & dosage*
  • Phenols / chemistry
  • Phenols / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Protective Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Protective Agents / chemistry
  • Protective Agents / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Phenols
  • Plant Extracts
  • Protective Agents
  • Cytochromes c
  • Caspase 3
  • Glutathione