Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cognitive decline are global health issues with limited effective pharmacological treatments, making lifestyle modifications, particularly dietary interventions, the most viable option. This study investigated the effects of the 80% ethanol soluble fraction (80ESF) and solid-phase extraction fraction (SEF) from natto, a traditional Japanese fermented soybean product, on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD and cognitive decline in mice. HFD significantly increased body and liver weight; however, these increases tended to be suppressed by 80ESF and SEF administration. Furthermore, HFD intake significantly elevated plasma AST, ALT, and LDL cholesterol levels, which were reduced by 80ESF and SEF administration. Additionally, HFD-induced cognitive decline showed improvement trends with 80ESF and SEF. No significant differences were observed between 80ESF and SEF. The findings suggest that natto fractions attenuated HFD-induced liver damage and the associated cognitive decline.
