Administration of a probiotic supplement attenuates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by reducing hepatic lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation

Abstract

Due to the requirement for a novel and effective treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), this study aimed to determine the effects of a novel supplement containing Lactobacillus zeae and Lactobacillus reuteri on oxidative stress, inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism, lipid accumulation, and liver function in the fructose-induced NAFLD rat model. To investigate the involvement of molecular pathways and validate a preclinical study, NAFLD was induced by feeding them fructose-containing drinking water (20% w/v) for 12 consecutive weeks. The fructose-induced male rats were administered a mixture of L. zeae TISTR 2529 and L. reuteri TISTR 2736 at a dose of 2 x 10⁸ CFU/mL between weeks 0 and 12. Weight and food intake were recorded daily. The production of oxidative stress, expression of the TNF-α, SREBP-1c, liver enzymes, and lipid profiles, including the densities of lipid droplets in liver cells, were also evaluated. The results revealed that fructose-induced rats co-treated with the mixed probiotics had significantly decreased body weights, triglycerides, cholesterol, and liver enzymes. Furthermore, the expression of TNF-α, MDA, and SREBP-1c and the densities of lipid droplets in the liver tissue were reduced. Based on the results, the novel probiotic supplement containing L. zeae TISTR 2529 and L. reuteri TISTR 2736 might alleviate NAFLD by normalizing oxidative stress, inflammation, lipid metabolism, and lipid accumulation in the liver of NAFLD-induced model rats.