A clinical experience-based Chinese herbal formula improves ethanol-induced drunken behavior and hepatic steatohepatitis in mice models

• Published in: Chinese medicine 2023-05, Vol.18 (1), p.47-47, Article 47
• Main Authors: Gao, Han, Li, Zhen, Liu, Yao, Zhao, Yong-Kang, Cheng, Cheng, Qiu, Feng, Gao, Yuan, Lu, Ya-Wen, Song, Xin-Hua, Wang, Jia-Bo, Ma, Zhi-Tao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetaldehyde; Alcohol; Alcohol use; Alcohol, Denatured; Alcoholic liver disease; Aldehyde dehydrogenase; Animal models; Antibodies; Blood levels; Care and treatment; Chinese medicine; Drinking behavior; Drinking of alcoholic beverages; Drug dosages; Drunken behavior; Drunkenness; Enzymes; Ethanol; Ethanol metabolism; Fatty acids; Fatty liver; Herbal medicine; Inflammation; Interleukin 10; Interleukin 6; Lipid metabolism; Liquors; Liver cirrhosis; Liver diseases; Medicine, Botanic; Medicine, Herbal; Molecular modelling; Physiological aspects; Prevention; Safety regulations; Sodium; Steatosis; Substance abuse; Toxicity; Traditional Chinese medicine; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Work stations
• ISSN: 1749-8546; 1749-8546
• DOI: 10.1186/s13020-023-00753-5

Bao-Gan-Xing-Jiu-Wan (BGXJW) is a clinical experience-based Chinese herbal formula. Its efficacy, pharmacological safety, targeted function, process quality, and other aspects have met the evaluation standards and the latest requirements of preparations. It could prevent and alleviate the symptoms of drunkenness and alcoholic liver injury clinically. The present work aims to elucidate whether BGXJW could protect against drunkenness and alcoholic liver disease in mice and explore the associated mechanism. We used acute-on-chronic (NIAAA) mice model to induce alcoholic steatosis, and alcohol binge-drinking model to reappear the drunk condition. BGXJW at indicated doses were administered by oral gavage respectively to analyze its effects on alcoholic liver injury and the associated molecular mechanisms. BGXJW had no cardiac, hepatic, renal, or intestinal toxicity in mice. Alcoholic liver injury and steatosis in the NIAAA mode were effectively prevented by BGXJW treatment. BGXJW increased the expression of alcohol metabolizing enzymes ADH, CYP2E1, and ALDH2 to enhance alcohol metabolism, inhibited steatosis through regulating lipid metabolism, counteracted alcohol-induced upregulation of lipid synthesis related proteins SREBP1, FASN, and SCD1, meanwhile it enhanced fatty acids β-oxidation related proteins PPAR-α and CPT1A. Alcohol taken enhanced pro-inflammatory TNF-α, IL-6 and down-regulated the anti-inflammatory IL-10 expression in the liver, which were also reversed by BGXJW administration. Moreover, BGXJW significantly decreased the blood ethanol concentration and alleviated drunkenness in the alcohol binge-drinking mice model. BGXJW could effectively relieve drunkenness and prevent alcoholic liver disease by regulating lipid metabolism, inflammatory response, and alcohol metabolism.