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. 2025 Dec 26;21(1):77-95.
doi: 10.4103/RPS.RPS_121_25. eCollection 2026 Feb.

Protective role of hydroalcoholic extract of Medusomyces gisevii L. in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: insights from a murine model

Roozbeh Zare Gashti  1 , Mohammad Karami  2 , Emran Habibi  3 , Ali Abbasi  4 , Shima Parsay  5 , Mona Modanloo  6 , Hasti Asadi Khalili  7 , Mohammad Shokrzadeh  6
Affiliations

Protective role of hydroalcoholic extract of Medusomyces gisevii L. in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: insights from a murine model

Roozbeh Zare Gashti et al. Res Pharm Sci. .

Abstract

Background and purpose: This study explored the impact of the hydroalcoholic extract of Medusomyces gisevii L. (HEMG), a promising source for dietary use, on NAFLD in male mice.

Experimental approach: The essential oil of MG was characterized using GC-MS and the HEMG, obtained through continuous maceration. Male albino mice were subjected to 7 groups (n = 9), including normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD, 12 weeks), HEMG (62.5, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg, orally, 8 weeks), or vitamin E (20 mg/kg, orally, 8 weeks) supplementation with HFD. Blood samples were analyzed for serum biomarkers, and liver mitochondria were isolated to assess oxidative stress markers. Histopathological examinations of liver tissue were conducted.

Findings/results: MG was rich in cyclohexanol, carvacrol, and phenol, with HEMG exhibiting an antioxidant activity of 50.14 ± 3.56 μg/mL. It contained 73.47 ± 0.85 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g of TPC and 62.56 ± 1.30 mg/g of TTC, indicating the significant antioxidant properties of HEMG. Mice on an HFD exhibited elevated serum biomarkers, including ALT, AST, ALP, TG, TC, and LDL, along with a reduction in HDL levels. Oxidative stress factors, including ROS, protein carbonyl, and MDA, increased, while mitochondrial function, GSH, catalase, and SOD were decreased in the NAFLD groups. Furthermore, treatment with HEMG supplementation led to improvements in serum biomarkers and enhanced oxidative stress markers, thus alleviating liver damage and hepatic steatosis caused by the HFD.

Conclusion and implications: These results suggest that HEMG holds promise as a candidate in addressing NAFLD.

Keywords: Kombucha; Liver enzymes; Medusomyces gisevii; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Oxidative stress; Vitamin E.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no conflicts of interest in this study.

Figures

Fig. S1
Fig. S1
Samples of Medusomyces gisevii were obtained before the extraction process.
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry chromatogram of Medusomyces gisevii L. essential oil.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on serum ALT levels. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ###P < 0.001 versus HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ALT, alanine transaminase; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on serum AST levels. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on serum ALP levels. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ##P < 0.01 and ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on serum TC levels. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; #P < 0.01 and ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; TC, total cholesterol; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on serum triglyceride levels. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on serum LDL levels. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ##P < 0.01 and ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; LDL, low-density lipoproteins; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on serum HDL levels. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; LDL, high-density lipoproteins; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on mitochondrial function in isolated mitochondria from mouse liver cells. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; #P < 0.05 and ##P < 0.01 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Effect of different doses of EtEMG administration on ROS formation in isolated mitochondria from mouse liver cells. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ##P < 0.01 and ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG,Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet; ROS, reactive oxygen species.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Effect of different doses of EtEMG administration on protein carbonyl level in isolated mitochondria from mouse liver cells. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet.
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on MDA level in isolated mitochondria from mouse liver cells. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01, ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet; MDA, malondialdehyde.
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on GSH level in isolated mitochondria from mouse liver cells. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01, ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet; GSH, glutathione.
Fig. 14
Fig. 14
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on CAT level in isolated mitochondria from mouse liver cells. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ##P < 0.01 and ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet; CAT, catalase.
Fig. 15
Fig. 15
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on SOD level in isolated mitochondria from mouse liver cells. Data are presented as mean ± SD of 9 animals in each group. ***P < 0.001 indicates a significant difference in comparison with the ND group; ###P < 0.001 versus the HFD-treated group. HEMG, Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet; SOD, superoxide dismutase.
Fig. 16
Fig. 16
Effect of different doses of HEMG administration on liver histopathological changes in the liver tissue of mice (magnification ×400). The liver sections of mice fed an ND or HFD were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E; scale bars: 50 μm). HEMG,Medusomyces gisevii; ND, normal diet; HFD, high-fat diet.
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