Freeze-dried Si-Ni-San powder can ameliorate high fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease worldwide. However, to date, there is no ideal therapy for this disease. AIM: To study the effects of Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder on high fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice. METHODS: Twenty-four male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into three groups of eight. The control group (CON) was allowed ad libitum access to a normal chow diet. The high fat diet group (FAT) and Si-Ni-San group (SNS) were allowed ad libitum access to a high fat diet. The SNS group was intragastrically administered Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder (5.0 g/kg) once daily, and the CON and FAT groups were intragastrically administered distilled water. After 12 wk, body weight, liver index, visceral fat index, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), portal lipopoly-saccharide (LPS), liver tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and liver triglycerides were measured. Intestinal microbiota were analyzed using a 16S r DNA sequencing technique. RESULTS: Compared with the FAT group, the SNS group exhibited decreased body weight, liver index, visceral fat index, serum ALT, portal LPS, liver TNF-α and liver triglycerides (P < 0.05). Intestinal microbiota analysis showed that the SNS group had different bacterial composition and function compared with the FAT group. In particular, Oscillospira genus was a bacterial biomarker of SNS group samples. CONCLUSION: The beneficial effects of Si-Ni-San freeze-dried powder on high fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice may be associated with its anti-inflammatory and changing intestinal microbiota effects.