Panax notoginseng Saponins Ameliorate High‐Fat Diet‐Induced Liver Injury via Mechanisms Involving TLR4 ‐Mediated Signaling and Lipid Metabolism

Read full text
Authors: Rong Li, Junyu Ma, Mengyao Li, Bangzhao Zeng, Xuexun Li, Xiaoyan Bi, Xin Zhao, Qin Gao, Yanling Yao, Yang Jiang, Chunmei Zhang, Fuli Ya
Cited by: 1
References: 40

Abstract

, have been used in nutritional supplements. However, their molecular mechanisms against hyperlipidemia-induced liver injury remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, supplementation with PNS (200 mg/kg diet) for 12 weeks significantly ameliorated high-fat diet (HFD)-induced liver injury in C57BL/6J mice, as evidenced by improved serum lipid profiles and attenuated hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation. Lipidomics analysis indicated that PNS administration restored hepatic lipid homeostasis, particularly by normalizing dysregulated triglycerides. Mechanistically, PNS markedly suppressed the activation of key inflammatory signaling pathways, including both the TLR4/MyD88-mediated NF-κB and MAPK (ERK, JNK, p38) cascades. Complementary in vitro experiments in LPS-stimulated HepG2 cells confirmed that PNS attenuated cellular injury and downregulated these pathways. Notably, the protective effect of PNS was not additive to that of the specific TLR4 inhibitor TAK-242, indicating a functional convergence on the TLR4 signaling axis. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that PNS protects against HFD-induced liver injury by improving lipid metabolism and attenuating hepatic inflammation via mechanisms involving the suppression of TLR4-mediated NF-κB and MAPK signaling, providing a refined mechanistic basis for its application as a dietary supplement in metabolic liver health.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Ginseng Biological Effects and Applications Pharmacological Effects of Natural Compounds Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

Publication details

Journal / source
Food Science & Nutrition
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
14
Issue
2
Pages
e71544–e71544
Publication date
1 February 2026
Language
EN