7 Ways to Treat Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver disease (NAFLD)

By Kyle J. Norton

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is defined as a condition of the fatty liver diseases as a result of accumulated of fat in the liver, not caused by abusive alcohol consumption.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is emerging as a widespread condition in US, approximately 30% of adult population are obese.

Finding the natural treatments for less or no side effects has become urgency in many scientific community including researchers in Universities. 

Alternative medicines for the treatment of NAFLD have been proven with many successful histories of controlling disease with no or less side effects.

1. Turmeric 
Turmeric is a perennial plant in the genus Curcuma, belongings to the family Zingiberaceae, native to tropical South Asia.

Turmeric has long been used in herbal medicine in treating numbers of disease.

Today its curcuminoid, curcumin has attracted interests from researchers in many parts of the world.

Curcumin, as an antihyperlipidemic agents, has been found to lower the “bad cholesterol” low density lipoprotein (LDL), and increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) of which reduce the risk of fat accumulated in the tissues in the liver. 

Excessive fat deposited in hepatocytes may cause metabolic imbalances, inducing Non- alcoholic fatty liver diseases. 

In the support of the above, the water-soluble curcumin derivative was tested for its efficacy against steatohepatitis which is an inflammation of the liver with concurrent fat accumulation in liver, the derivative not only significantly alleviated fibrosis but also decreased the grade of liver steatosis. 

2. Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a shrubs and trees of the genus Crataegus, belongings to the family Rosaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North America.

 The herb has been used in traditional medicine to treat heart disease and symptoms of heart diseases such as irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, chest pain, hardening of the arteries, etc., circulatory disorders and respiratory illnesses.

Out of 246 kinds of Chinese herb, Hawthorn Fruit is found mostly in the list of many formulas.

The herb may contain certain chemical constituents effectively in treatments of Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

3. Phytochemical Berberine and Resveratrol

Berberine and resveratrol, the phytochemical found abundantly in many vegetables and fruits as well herbs and herbal formulae such as Polygonum hypoleucum Ohwi, and Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb., and formulae including Yinchenhao Decoction (, YCHD), Qushi Huayu Decoction (, QSHYD), and Danning Tablet, were found not only to improve biochemical and histological change in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, but also associated in inhibiting lipid accumulation through adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activation or up regulating low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) expression, alleviating lipid peroxidation, and reducing the production of inflammatory cytokines. 

In such instance, Berberine and resveratrol, may be considered as a potential treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the future.

4. Phytochemical Triterpenoid 

Triterpenoid is a various unsaturated hydrocarbons, found in essential oils and oleoresins of plants, including Ilex hainanensis Merr.

In the study to test the effect of Triterpenoid-rich fraction (TP) from Ilex hainanensis Merr. on NAFLD with Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats fed a normal diet (control) or high fat diet (NAFLD model), after 4 weeks, the high fat diet group was orally administrated TF (250 mg/kg) for another two weeks.

TP not only improves the symptoms of the subjects, but also decreases the levels of triglyceride , total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, abnormality of lipid accumulation , levels of inflammation and infection and apoptosis response in the liver. 

Of these results, TF is found to be effective in protecting liver against NAFLD by regulating lipids metabolism and alleviating insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress.

5. Peony

Mu Dan Pi or Dan Pi (Cortex Moutan Radicis) is also known as peony. The acrid, bitter and mild cool herb has been used in TCM as anti micro organism, anti inflammatory agent and to enhance circulation and immune system, etc., as it clears heat and cools the blood, clears fire of yin deficiency, clear blood stasis and rid of clots, etc., by enhancing the functions of heart, liver and kidney channels.

Peony, a very popular Chinese herb is emerging as in many study for its Anti-inflammatory, anticoagulative, Anti-microbial and cytokine modulating effects, as well as properties as treatments of arthritis and asthma. 

In the study of the effects of peony in Non alcoholic liver disease caused by insulin resistance with Adult SD rats fed on high-fat-sugar-salt diet for 56 days, then divided randomly into nonalcoholic fatty liver model group, metformin group (0.2 g x kg(-1)) and total glucosides of peony group. 

Oral administration of total glucosides of paeony group, hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistence were resisted, the levels of free fatty acids (FFA), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)] were decreased, HDL-C were increased, the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), cholinesterase (ChE) were decreased and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were increased. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) were decreased. 

Of these result, researchers suggested that paeony may consist a potential effect in protecting liver function and modulate serum lipid for the fatty liver rats caused by insulin resistance.

7. Bay berry 

Bay berry is a species of Myrica gale, genus Myrica, belonging to the family Myricaceae. Beside many nutrients, it also consists chemical constituents of Gallic acid, quercetin hexoside, quercetin deoxyhexoside, quercetin, anthocyanins, flavonols, and elllagitannins, etc.

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study of 44 participants (ages 18-25 y) given 250 mL of either bayberry juice or placebo twice daily for 4 wk, bay berry juice is found to decrease inflammation and infection, liver cell apoptosis, and death of liver tissues as well as reduction of the risk of steatosis progreeion to cause NALFD. 

Of that results, researchers suggested that consumption of bayberry juice for a period of 4 wk can protect against NAFLD and its juice may be a candidate for potential prevention and treatment of Non acoholic fatty liver disease(NALFD).
 

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Author biography

Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrients

Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it’s news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.

Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada – Huffington Post

Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years

Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources

(1) Curcumin and liver disease.Vera-Ramirez L, Pérez-Lopez P, Varela-Lopez A, Ramirez-Tortosa M, Battino M, Quiles JL.(PubMed)

(2) [The effects of curcumin derivative on experimental steatohepatitis].[Article in Chinese] by Zeng CH, Zeng P, Deng YH, Shen N, Peng ML, Liu Q, Ren H.(PubMed)

(3) Methodologies for investigating natural medicines for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by Kim MS, Kung S, Grewal T, Roufogalis BD.(PubMed)

(4) Traditional Chinese medicines benefit to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis by Shi KQ, Fan YC, Liu WY, Li LF, Chen YP, Zheng MH.(PubMed)

(5) Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver transplantation: Outcomes and advances by Said A.(PubMed)

(6) The effects of ezetimibe on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and glucose metabolism: a randomised controlled trial by Takeshita Y, Takamura T, Honda M, Kita Y, Zen Y, Kato KI, Misu H, Ota T, Nakamura M, Yamada K, Sunagozaka H, Arai K, Yamashita T, Mizukoshi E, Kaneko S.(PubMed)

(7) Pharmacokinetic study of major bioactive components in rats after oral administration of extract of Ilex hainanensis by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry by Jie Yanga,1, Fang Lva, 1, Xiao-qing Chenb, Wei-xi Cuia, Li-hong Chenc, Xiao-dong Wena, Qiang Wanga(Science direct)

(8) Triterpenoid-rich fraction from Ilex hainanensis Merr. attenuates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease induced by high fat diet in rats by Cui WX, Yang J, Chen XQ, Mao Q, Wei XL, Wen XD, Wang Q.(PubMed)

(9) Chinese Herbs – Mu Dan Pi or Dan Pi (Cortex Moutan Radicis)

(10) [Effects of total glucosides of paeony on enhancing insulin sensitivity and antagonizing nonalcoholic fatty liver in rats].[Article in Chinese] by Zheng LY, Pan JQ, Lv JH.(PubMed)