article · Molecules
Obesity frequently leads to complications such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of chrysin, a natural flavonoid, in an animal model of diet-induced obesity. Male rats fed an obesogenic diet for three months received daily oral doses of chrysin at twenty-five, fifty, or seventy-five milligrams per kilogram for one month. The treatment produced dose-dependent reductions in weight gain, high blood sugar, and insulin resistance, alongside noticeable improvements in liver tissue structure. Chrysin enhanced antioxidant defences by increasing glutathione and decreasing malondialdehyde. At the molecular level, it activated the AMPK pathway, suppressed mTOR and lipogenic pathways, and stimulated gene expression linked to mitochondrial biogenesis in liver tissues. These findings indicate that chrysin can regulate glucose and lipid balance, presenting a potential candidate for managing obesity and liver steatosis.
Obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are major health conditions that disrupt metabolism and damage liver function. Finding natural compounds that target the metabolic pathways driving these disorders offers valuable avenues for future therapies. This research demonstrates how a dietary flavonoid can concurrently target weight, insulin resistance, and cellular pathways involved in fat generation and energy balance in a preclinical setting.
This work highlights chrysin as a candidate for early-stage therapeutic development aimed at obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Pharmaceutical developers or nutraceutical formulators exploring metabolic disease interventions could use these findings to guide future formulation and preclinical testing. However, as the research is currently at the animal testing stage in a rat model, it remains far from clinical deployment and requires further safety, efficacy, and human clinical evaluations.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a complex multifactorial disease characterized by excessive adiposity, and is linked to an increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Flavonoids are natural polyphenolic compounds that exert interesting pharmacological effects as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering agents. In the present study, we investigated the possible therapeutic effects of the flavonoid chrysin on obesity and NAFLD in rats, and the role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways in mediating these effects. METHOD: Thirty-two Wistar male rats were divided into two groups: the control group and the obese group. Obesity was induced by feeding with an obesogenic diet for 3 months. The obese rats were subdivided into four subgroups, comprising an untreated group, and three groups treated orally with different doses of chrysin (25, 50, and 75 mg/kg/day for one month). Results revealed that chrysin treatment markedly ameliorated the histological changes and significantly and dose-dependently reduced the weight gain, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance in the obese rats. Chrysin, besides its antioxidant boosting effects (increased GSH and decreased malondialdehyde), activated the AMPK pathway and suppressed the mTOR and lipogenic pathways, and stimulated expression of the genes controlling mitochondrial biogenesis in the hepatic tissues in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, chrysin could be a promising candidate for the treatment of obesity and associated NAFLD, aiding in attenuating weight gain and ameliorating glucose and lipid homeostasis and adipokines, boosting the hepatic mitochondrial biogenesis, and modulating AMPK/mTOR/SREBP-1c signaling pathways.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041734
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
