Yinchen Linggui Zhugan Decoction Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats by Regulating the Nrf2/ARE Signaling Pathway

Yinchen Linggui Zhugan Decoction (YCLGZGD) is the combination of Linggui Zhugan (LGZGD) and Yinchenhao (YCHD) decoctions, two famous traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. In previous studies, we found that Yinchen Linggui Zhugan Decoction (YCLGZGD) could regulate lipid metabolism disorder and attenuate inflammation in pathological process of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the exact underlying mechanism remains unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of Yinchen Linggui Zhugan Decoction on experimental NAFLD and its mechanism in rats with high-fat diet (HFD) which was established by 8-week administration of HFD. YCLGZGD, LGZGD, and YCHD were administered daily for 4 weeks, after which the rats were euthanized. The level of blood lipid, liver enzymes, H&E, and Oil Red O staining were determined to evaluate NAFLD severity. Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction were, respectively, used to determine hepatic protein and gene expression of Keap1, Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1. Oral YCLGZGD ameliorated HFD-induced NAFLD. Furthermore, YCLGZGD increased the protein and gene expression of Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1 without changing Keap1. Overall, these results suggest that YCLGZGD ameliorates HFD-induced NAFLD in rats by upregulating the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.