Anti-inflammatory Mechanism of Ruzu Bitters on Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Male Wistar Rats

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become notorious globally. Increasingly emerging evidence shows that NAFLD is strongly associated with inflammation, with proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) playing a vital role in its progression. In this work, an attempt was made to verify the anti-inflammatory activity of Ruzu herbal bitters (RHB), an antiobesity medicinal concoction, on NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in albino Wistar rats. Twenty-five (25) rats were divided into five groups as follows: Group 1, the normal control, was maintained on standard rat chow and received normal saline (1 ml/kg body weight (BW)/day) for twelve weeks. The other groups were maintained on HFD for twelve weeks. Thereafter, groups 2–5 were treated with pioglitazone (4 mg/kg BW/day), RHB (0.6 ml/kg BW/day), normal saline (1 ml/kg BW/day), and fenofibrate (10 mg/kg BW/day), respectively. The animals were sacrificed after the experimental period. Biochemical indicators of oxidative stress and inflammation were assayed in the liver according to standard methods. The histological features of the liver were also compared to assess liver damage. RHB significantly (p < 0.05) reduced body weight and liver index, inhibited oxidative stress, boosted antioxidant enzymes by increasing the activity and level of SOD and GSH, reduced proinflammatory markers (IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α), and reversed histological alterations induced by NAFLD in rat liver. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory activity of RHB in the prevention of NAFLD in rats has been confirmed.