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Acetyl-L-carnitine and lipoic acid improve mitochondrial abnormalities and serum levels of liver enzymes in a mouse model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)
November 1, 2013
Elango Kathirvel et al. (4 authors)
Journal ArticleResearch Support, N.I.H., ExtramuralResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tAnimal Study
Extracted Claims (8)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
oral feeding of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC)
increase
Liver mitochondrial content and function
rodents
-
have been shown to improve
#1
oral administration ALC with the antioxidant lipoic acid (ALC + LA)
increase
nonalcoholic fatty liver
-
-
would benefit
#2
high-fat diet (HF)
increase
body, liver, liver-to-body weight ratio, white adipose tissue, ALT, AST, liver fat, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance
Balb/C mice
-
had higher
#3
Coadministration of ALC + LA to HF animals
increase
the mitochondrial marker carbamoyl phosphate synthase 1
HF animals
-
significantly improved
#4
Coadministration of ALC + LA to HF animals
increase
the size of the mitochondria in liver
HF animals
-
significantly improved
#5
Coadministration of ALC + LA to HF animals
decrease
Alanine transaminase and AST levels
HF animals
-
were decreased
#6
ALC + LA combination
increase
liver mitochondrial content, size, serum ALT, and AST
a nonalcoholic fatty liver mice model
-
improved
#7
ALC + LA combination
no change
oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and liver fat accumulation
a nonalcoholic fatty liver mice model
-
without significant changes
#8
Abstract

Mitochondrial abnormalities are suggested to be associated with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver. Liver mitochondrial content and function have been shown to improve in oral feeding of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) to rodents. Carnitine is involved in the transport of acyl-coenzyme A across the mitochondrial membrane to be used in mitochondrial β-oxidation. We hypothesized that oral administration ALC with the antioxidant lipoic acid (ALC + LA) would benefit nonalcoholic fatty liver. To test our hypothesis, we fed Balb/C mice a standard diet (SF) or SF with ALC + LA or high-fat diet (HF) or HF with ALC + LA for 6 months. Acetyl-L-carnitine and LA were dissolved at 0.2:0.1% (wt/vol) in drinking water, and mice were allowed free access to food and water. Along with physical parameters, insulin resistance (blood glucose, insulin, glucose tolerance), liver function (alanine transaminase [ALT], aspartate transaminase [AST]), liver histology (hematoxylin and eosin), oxidative stress (malondialdehyde), and mitochondrial abnormalities (carbamoyl phosphate synthase 1 and electron microscopy) were done. Compared with SF, HF had higher body, liver, liver-to-body weight ratio, white adipose tissue, ALT, AST, liver fat, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance. Coadministration of ALC + LA to HF animals significantly improved the mitochondrial marker carbamoyl phosphate synthase 1 and the size of the mitochondria in liver. Alanine transaminase and AST levels were decreased. In a nonalcoholic fatty liver mice model, ALC + LA combination improved liver mitochondrial content, size, serum ALT, and AST without significant changes in oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and liver fat accumulation.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AcetylcarnitineAdipose TissueAlanine TransaminaseAnimalsAntioxidantsAspartate AminotransferasesBody WeightDiet, High-FatDisease Models, AnimalFatty LiverInsulin ResistanceLiverMaleMiceMice, Inbred BALB CMitochondriaNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseOrgan SizeOxidative StressThioctic Acid
Study Links
PubMed ID24176233
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Acetyl-L-carnitine and lipoic acid improve mitochondrial abn... | Panacea Index