Abstract:

An experimental rat model of fatty liver was constructed to explore the preventive effect of chitin from
Pleurotus eryngii on fatty liver. The rats were fed chitin at various concentration levels while cholestyramine was used
as a positive control. After 5 weeks, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
total cholesterol (TC) and total triglycerides (TG) in serum and the levels of malonaldehyde (MDA) and superoxide
dismutase (SOD) in liver were detected and pathological changes in liver were examined. Results showed the levels
of ALT, AST, TC and TG in serum and the levels of TC, TG and MDA in liver significantly decreased (P < 0.01), and
SOD activity significantly increased (P < 0.05) after administration with P. eryngii chitin for 5 weeks. Moreover, fatty
degeneration in liver tissue was alleviated, and the levels of TC and TG were reduced in liver tissue. Furthermore, the
hepatoprotective activity of P. eryngii chitin (PC) was dose dependent. Notably, the preventive effect of high-dose PC
was similar to that of cholestyramine (P < 0.05). All these results indicated that P. eryngii chitin has the potential to
prevent fatty liver disease in rats.

Key words: Pleurotus eryngii, chitin, experimental fatty liver, prevention