Abstract:

Objective: In this research, the effects of sea cucumber saponins and starfish saponins on nonalcoholic fatty
liver induced by orotic acid (OA) in rats were comparatively investigated. Methods: Modified AIN-93G diet containing
1% orotic acid (OA diet) was used to establish NAFLD rat model. After 6-week feeding of OA diet, 24 male Wistar rats
were randomly divided into three groups (eight rats in each group) and then fed with the corresponding diets for 8 weeks:
OA group; OA diet; Scs group: OA diet containing 0.04% sea cucumber saponins; Sfs group: OA diet containing 0.04%
starfish saponins. The rats fed the modified AIN-93M diet were used as a control group (Con). After 14 weeks of feeding,
body weights, liver weights, visceral adipose weights, serum triglyceride (TG), serum total cholesterol (TC), liver functional
indexes, hepatic TG, hepatic TC and hepatic phospholipids (PL) were measured. The enzyme activities and gene expressions
involved in hepatic lipid metabolism were also determined. Results: Compared with the OA group, sea cucumber saponins
and starfish saponins significantly reduced hepatic TG and TC levels (P < 0.05). These two saponins alleviated the fatty liver
through inhibiting the enzymes activities and gene expressions involved in hepatic lipogenesis and enhancing the activities
of peroxisomal β-oxidation enzymes in liver. Conclusion: In summary, sea cucumber saponins and starfish saponins could
efficiently alleviate NAFLD induced by orotic acid in rats with similar regulatory mechanisms. Meanwhile, sea cucumber
saponins revealed similar lipid-lowering effects as sea starfish saponins.

Key words: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, sea cucumber saponins, starfish saponins, orotic acid