The effects of low fructose diet combined with α-lipoic acid supplementation on rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disorder that relevant to insulin resistance and oxidative stress. In this study, a low-fructose diet combined with α-lipoic acid was used to evaluate its effect on insulin resistance and some parameters of NAFLD due to high fat diet in the Sprague-Dawley rats. Male rats were divided into five group (n=8). Lip group orally treated with the HFD plus lipoic acid (60g/kg) and Fru+Lip group orally treated with the HFD plus fructose (1g/kg) combined with lipoic acid (60g/kg) once per day via gavage for six weeks. After six weeks, serum lipid profile, glucose, Adiponectin, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), TNF-α and also lipid profile and MDA in liver was evaluate. PGC-1α gene expression was examined in adipose tissue by Real-time PCR method. Liver tissue staining with H&E was performed to evaluate hepatic steatosis. In HF group, serum glucose, insulin resistance, serum and liver lipid profile, TNF-α and hepatic MDA significantly increased compared to the NC group (P<0/05) and hepatic steatosis was observed. In Fru group, serum glucose, insulin resistance, serum and liver lipid profile, TNF-α and hepatic MDA significantly decreased compared to the HF group (P<0/05). In addition, in Fru+Lip group, these parametrs significantly decreased compared to the Fru group (P<0/05). The results of this study showed that a low-fructose diet combined with α-lipoic acid has higher improvement effect on some parametrs of NAFLD compared to the low-fructose diet alone.