OBJECTIVE  To study the effects of apigenin and its four derivatives A, B, C and D on lipid metabolism in non-alcoholic fatty liverdisease(NAFLD) rats.

METHODS  Established the NAFLD rat model induced by high sugar and fat diet. The effects of apigenin and its derivatives on hepatic steatosis of NAFLD rats were observed by HE and Oil Red O staining. Serum and tissue biochemistry, Elisa and WB were used to observe the effects of apigenin and its derivatives on the lipid metabolism of NAFLD rats, including TC, TG, HDL-c, LDL-c, FFA, Leptin, SREBP-1c and PPAR-α. And the effects of SOD, MDA, GSH-px, CYP2E1, ALT, AST and TNF-α on oxidative stress damage related indexes.

RESULTS  The liver/body weight ratio in the low-concentration group of apigenin and the high-concentration group of its derivative C was lower than that in the model group(P<0.05). The HE and Oil Red O staining results indicated that the hepatic steatosis in the groups of apigenin and its derivatives A、C and D, was significantly alleviated compared with the model group. Compared with the lipid metabolism-related indicators in the model group, the serum TC concentrations in the high and low concentration groups of the apigenin derivatives A and D were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01); The serum triglyceride(TG) concentrations in the high and low concentration groups of apigenin and its derivatives A and D were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01 or P<0.001). The serum FFA concentrations in the high and low concentration groups of apigenin and its derivatives A and B, the high concentration group of derivative C and the low concentration group of derivative D were all decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01 or P<0.001); The serum Leptin concentration in the low-concentration group of derivative A was decreased(P<0.01). In the high-concentration group of apigenin and the low-concentration groups of apigenin derivatives A and D, the concentration of SREBP-1c in the liver decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.001). The concentrations of PPAR-α in the high-concentration group of apigenin and the low-concentration groups of apigenin derivatives A and D were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.001). Compared with the oxidative stress and liver injury-related indicators in the model group, the serum MDA concentration in the high-concentration group of apigenin derivative A was decreased(P<0.01); The serum TNF-α concentrations in the high and low concentration groups of apigenin and its derivatives A and D, as well as the low concentration groups of apigenin B and C, were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01 or P<0.001). The serum ALT concentrations in the high and low concentration groups of apigenin and its derivatives A, C and D were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01 or P<0.001); The serum AST concentrations in the low-concentration groups of derivatives A and B, the high-low concentration group of derivative C, and the high-concentration group of derivative D were all decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The liver SOD concentrations in the high and low concentration groups of apigenin and its derivatives A and B, as well as the low concentration groups of derivatives C and D, were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.001); The concentration of GSH-Px in the liver of the high-concentration group of the derivative D increased(P<0.05); The liver CYP2E1 concentration in the high-concentration group of apigenin and the low-concentration group of apigenin derivative A was decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.001).

CONCLUSION  Apigenin and its derivatives A and D can play an anti-NAFLD role by regulating lipid metabolism, alleviating oxidative stress and liver injury in rats, and apigenin derivative A has the best effect.