Moutan cortex radicis extract alleviates lipid accumulation by modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress in high-fat diet-fed mice

To analyse the effects of Moutan cortex radicis extract (ME) on lipid metabolism disorder via regulation of lipid accumulation and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). C57BL/6 mice were fed an HFD for 11 weeks and then an HFD plus 200 mg/kg ME for 2 weeks. We found that ME reduced hepatic CHOL levels and lipid droplet deposition, and down-regulated PPAR gamma, SCD1, GRP78 and C/EBP compared to the HFD group (P < 0.05). In the oleic acid-palmitic acid-induced AML12 cell lipid load model, ME addition led to significant reduction in the intracellular TG content, lipid deposition, and mRNA levels of PERK, IRE1, ATF4, CHOP, C/EBP-alpha, LXR alpha and ACC (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that ME might be a promising treatment strategy to reverse the lipid metabolism disorder induced by an HFD and that the potential mechanism is associated with a reduction in hepatic lipid accumulation and amelioration of ERS via inhibiting PERK/IRE1-CEBP signaling pathways.