Protective and therapeutic effects of Crataegus aronia in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Aim: We evaluated the potential preventive and therapeutic effects of Crataegus aronia (C. aronia) in NAFLD induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in rat models.

Methods: Protective effect of Crataegus aronia or simvastatin was investigated in Wistar rats fed either low-fat diet (LFD) or HFD.

Results: Liver histopathological examinations confirmed the development of NAFLD in rats fed HFD. In both protective and therapeutic treatments, C. aronia significantly reduced liver index (3.85 ± 0.21% in HFD plus aronia group versus 6.22 ± 0.58% in HFD model group), increased the HDL-cholesterol and reduced the LDL-cholesterol in blood. The hawthorn plant also significantly ameliorated oxidative stress biomarker (p < 0.002) and liver enzymes (p < 0.0001) that indicate liver damage.

Conclusion: C. aronia exhibits therapeutic and protective effects on NAFLD in an animal model possibly by its lipid lowering and antioxidant effects; thus, may offer therapeutic potential in humans.

Keywords: Crataegus aronia; NAFLD; hawthorn; simvastatin; steatosis.