Effect of Pioglitazone, Quercetin, and Hydroxy Citric Acid on the Lipid Profile and Lipoproteins in Experimentally Induced Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an emerging disease belonging to the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) spectrum, which may progress to fibrosis and thereby to cirrhosis of the liver. Currently, no definitive and effective treatment strategies have been identified to treat NASH. Objective: To study the effect of pioglitazone, quercetin, and hydroxy citric acid on lipid profile parameters and lipoproteins in experimentally induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Materials & Methods: NASH was induced in the rats by feeding them the high-fat diet for eight weeks. In drug treated groups, after the rats were fed with high-fat diet for four weeks, they were treated in conjunction with intragastric administration of pioglitazone (4mg/kg body wt), quercetin (20mg/kg body wt) and hydroxy citric acid (150 mg/kg body wt) for an additional four weeks. The concentration of total cholesterol, free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, phospholipids, triglycerides, free fatty acids (FFAs), high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), were studied. Results: The experimentally induced-NASH rats treated with pioglitazone, quercetin, and hydroxy citric acid showed marked reduction in the concentration of lipid profile and lipoproteins when compared with that of the NASH-induced group, where as quercetin reversed the changes in a significant manner compared with pioglitazone & HCA. Conclusion: The protective effect of pioglitazone, quercetin, and hydroxy citric acid was observed via the decrease of lipoprotein and lipid concentrations towards normal ranges in the drug-treated groups.