Grapefruit Compound May Help Reduce Inflammation in Fatty Liver Disease

A plant-derived compound found in grapefruits and bitter oranges may help alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by improving lipid metabolism, according to new research.

A research team investigated the therapeutic potential of neohesperidin, a natural citrus flavonoid, in treating NAFLD. Their promising findings were published in the journal Phytotherapy Research.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a common condition that can have serious long-term health consequences, according to Planet Today. Previous research has shown that fatty liver disease significantly increases the risk of premature death, underscoring the urgent need for more effective treatments.

As the global prevalence of NAFLD continues to rise, identifying new therapeutic strategies has become a major focus of scientific research.

For example, another research team in China recently reported in the journal PharmaNutrition that a combination of traditional Chinese medicine and milk thistle extract may also provide meaningful benefits for people with fatty liver disease.

In the current study, researchers evaluated the effects of neohesperidin using both cultured liver cells and mice that developed fatty liver disease after being fed a high-fat diet.

The results showed that neohesperidin significantly reduced lipid accumulation in both cell cultures and the livers of the mice.

According to the researchers, neohesperidin directly bound to the PHE248 amino acid residue of ECHS1, a key enzyme involved in the β-oxidation of fatty acids, and prevented its degradation. This stabilized the enzyme, enhanced the breakdown of fats, and improved lipid metabolism.

The compound's overall therapeutic effect also depended on regulating the PPARα signaling pathway, which plays a central role in fat metabolism and liver function.

Overall, the findings suggest that neohesperidin could become a promising therapeutic option for treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, while ECHS1 represents a potential new therapeutic target.

"This opens a new strategy for combating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by restoring lipid homeostasis through specifically regulating protein stability," the researchers concluded.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter