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    Article

    Amelioration of Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction by Berberine in the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats

    Donghao Li1, Jimin Zheng2, Yiting Hu2, Hongtao Hou2, Shurong Hao3, Na Liu2, Yuzhen Wang2★★ Corresponding author

    1. 1Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China.
    2. 2Department of Gastroenterology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050051, China.
    3. 3Department of Infectious Diseases, Handan County Hospital, Handan 056001, China.

    CORRESPONDENCE

    Yuzhen Wang

    Department of Gastroenterology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050051, China.

    wangyuzhen5423@126.com

    Received: 28-12-2016; Revised: 01-02-2017.

    Volume 13, Issue 52 · pp. 677–682 · PUBLISHED 13 November 2017 · DOI: 10.4103/pm.pm_584_16

    View on Pharmacogn. Mag. original site ↗

    ABSTRACT

    Objective: To investigate the effect of berberine (BBR) on intestinal barrier function in nonalcoholic fat liver disease (NAFLD) in rats. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into three groups: normal diet group (control group [CON group]), high‑fat diet feeding group (HFD group), and HFD with BBR group. After 8 weeks of HFD feeding, rats in the BBR group were given BBR intragastrically at a dose of 150 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks. The same volume of normal saline was given to the CON and HFD groups. Liver index was detected, and Sudan black B staining was used to study fatty degeneration, also the expression level of occluding and intestinal flora was analyzed. Results: BBR administration significantly reduced HFD‑induced increase in body weight (CON group: 379.83 ± 61.51 g, HFD group: 485.24 ± 50.15 g, and BBR group: 428.60 ± 37.37 g). It obviously alleviated the HFD‑induced liver fatty degeneration and histopathological changes of intestinal mucosa according to liver index low‑density lipoprotein‑cholesterol, high‑density lipoprotein‑cholesterol, and total cholesterol (P < 0.05). The triglyceride, alanine transaminase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels were greatly elevated after BBR treatment (P < 0.05); while endotoxin, intestinal fatty acid‑binding protein, and tumor necrosis factor‑α were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Moreover, we found that BBR could obviously elevate the level of occludin and decrease the level of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and upregulate the level of bacteroides. Conclusion: BBR provides significant protection in NAFLD through ameliorating intestinal barrier function.

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      Li, D., Zheng, J., Hu, Y., Hou, H., Hao, S., Liu, N., & Wang, Y. (2017). Amelioration of Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction by Berberine in the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats. Pharmacognosy Magazine, 13(52), 677–682. https://doi.org/10.4103/pm.pm_584_16