Artemisia capillaris Thunb. aqueous extract alleviates Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease through modulating the gut-liver axis

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a prevalent chronic liver disease. Artemisia capillaris Thunb, a natural medicinal plant with hepatoprotective and cholagogic properties, is commonly used to treat jaundice and cholestasis. This study evaluates the potential therapeutic effects of Artemisia capillaris Thunb aqueous extract (ACTE) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced MASLD mouse model by observing mouse phenotypes, conducting biochemical analyses, performing 16S rRNA gene sequencing, utilizing bile acid-targeted metabolomics, and applying molecular biology techniques to comprehensively explore the mechanisms of ACTE. The results demonstrate that ACTE ameliorates obesity and hepatic lipid accumulation in MASLD mice, modulates gut microbiota composition, activates the FXR signaling pathway, enhances bile acid enterohepatic circulation, strengthens intestinal barrier integrity, and alleviates liver inflammation and pyroptosis by inhibiting the NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways. These findings suggest that ACTE exerts its potential intervention through the interplay between gut microbiota and liver in combating MASLD.

代谢功能障碍相关脂肪性肝病（Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, MASLD）是一种高发的慢性肝脏疾病。茵陈蒿（Artemisia capillaris Thunb）是一种兼具保肝与利胆功效的天然药用植物，常用于治疗黄疸与胆汁淤积症。本研究通过观测小鼠表型、开展生化分析、进行16S rRNA基因测序、运用胆汁酸靶向代谢组学技术，并结合分子生物学实验手段，在高脂饮食（high-fat diet, HFD）诱导的MASLD小鼠模型中，评估茵陈蒿水提物（Artemisia capillaris Thunb aqueous extract, ACTE）的潜在治疗功效，以全面阐明ACTE的作用机制。研究结果显示，ACTE可改善MASLD小鼠的肥胖症状与肝脏脂质堆积情况，调节肠道菌群组成，激活法尼醇X受体（farnesoid X receptor, FXR）信号通路，增强胆汁酸肠肝循环，强化肠道屏障完整性，并通过抑制核因子κB（nuclear factor kappa-B, NF-κB）与NLRP3信号通路，缓解肝脏炎症与细胞焦亡。上述研究结果表明，ACTE可通过调控肠道菌群与肝脏之间的互作，发挥对抗MASLD的潜在干预作用。