High-carbohydrate diet-induced metabolic disorders in Gerbillus tarabuli (a new model of non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease). Protective effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate the effects of long-term high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) on metabolic dysfunctions and liver damage in Gerbillus tarabuli, and assess the preventive effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E).
Results Summary
HCD induced metabolic disorders, including increased adiposity, dyslipidemia, liver fat deposition, and elevated plasma AST and ALT levels, along with oxidative stress and liver damage. Adding 20E to HCD reduced these adverse effects in a dose-dependent manner, demonstrating hepatoprotective benefits.
Population
Gerbillus tarabuli (a species of gerbil)
Effective Dosage
Not specified (20E was tested at varying doses)
Duration
Long-term (exact duration not specified)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) | increase | metabolic disorders | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | induces | #1 |
high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) | increase | adiposity | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | increased | #2 |
high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) | increase | dyslipidemia | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | induces | #3 |
high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) | increase | ectopic fat deposition in the liver | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | induces | #4 |
high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) | increase | plasma AST | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | associated with higher levels of | #5 |
high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) | increase | plasma ALT | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | associated with higher levels of | #6 |
high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) | increase | oxidative stress | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | showed enhanced | #7 |
high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) | increase | liver damages characteristic of steatohepatitis development | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | induces | #8 |
20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) | decrease | all changes induced by HCD | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of | #9 |
20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) | decrease | hepatoprotective effect | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | demonstrated | #10 |
20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) | decrease | plasma concentrations of AST | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | decreased | #11 |
20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) | decrease | plasma concentrations of ALT | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | decreased | #12 |
20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) | decrease | hepatic malondialdehyde | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | decreased | #13 |
20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) treatment | decrease | counteract the damaging effects of HCD | Gerbillus tarabuli | - | demonstrate the efficacy of | #14 |
The aim of our study was to reveal the effects of long-term consumption of a high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) on metabolic dysfunctions and histopathological liver alterations in Gerbillus tarabuli, as well as to assess the preventive effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in the same animals. Contrary to control diet, HCD induces several metabolic disorders including increased adiposity, dyslipidemia, ectopic fat deposition in the liver, associated with higher levels of plasma AST and ALT. These gerbils showed enhanced oxidative stress with liver damages characteristic of steatohepatitis development. By contrast, adding 20E to HCD resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of all changes induced by HCD. In addition, the hepatoprotective effect of 20E was demonstrated by decreased plasma concentrations of AST, ALT and of hepatic malondialdehyde. Our results suggest that G. tarabuli represents a good model to study diet-induced metabolic disorders and hepatic dysfunctions. Moreover, they demonstrate the efficacy of 20E treatment to counteract the damaging effects of HCD.