Curcumin prevents the non-alcoholic fatty hepatitis via mitochondria protection and apoptosis reduction.

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty hepatitis (NASH) is highly prevalent, mitochondria damage is the main pathophysiological characteristic of NASH. However, treatment for mitochondria damage is rarely reported. METHODS NASH model was established in rats, the protective effects of curcumin were evaluated by histological observation; structure and function assessments of mitochondria; and apoptotic genes expression. RESULTS NASH rats treated with curcumin displayed relatively slight liver damage when compared with NASH livers. The average mitochondrial length and width of NASH (12.0 ± 3.2 and 5.1 ± 1.1 micrometers) were significantly longer than that of normal (6.2 ± 2.1 and 2.1 ± 1.5 micrometers) and NASH treated with curcumin (7.4 ± 1.2 and 3.2 ± 1.5 micrometers) rats. The average malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxy nonyl alcohol (HNE) levels in liver homogenates of NASH rats (4.23 ± 0.22 and 19.23 ± 2.3 nmol/Ml) were significantly higher than these in normal (1.32 ± 0.12 and 3.52 ± 0.43 nmol/mL) and NASH treated with curcumin (1.74 ± 0.11 and 4.66 ± 0.99 nmol/mL) rats. The expression levels of CytC, Casp3 and Casp8 of the NASH livers were significantly higher than normal and NASH treated with curcumin rats livers. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrated that curcumin prevents the NASH by mitochondria protection and apoptosis reduction and provided a possible novel treatment for NASH.