Experimental model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in pregnant rats to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy

Background: The growing incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the population contributes to the development of obstetric complications during pregnancy and demands searching effective methods of hepatoprotective therapy.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of therapy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in an experimental model in pregnant rats.

Materials and methods: this experimental study was carried out on 19 female Wistar rats weighing 250–300 g, obtained from the laboratory animal nursery of SMK Stezar Ltd. (Vladimir, Russia). Using a high-fat diet, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was simulated in the study groups as follows. Group 1 (n = 7) consisted of non-pregnant rats, group 2 comprised pregnant rats without therapy (n = 6), and group 3 included pregnant rats and intraperitoneal administration of 12 mg of the low-molecular sugar preparation from day 16 to day 20 of gestation (n = 6). During the experiment, the body weight of female rats was measured weekly. After the experiment was completed, we evaluated the blood serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, ferritin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, total bilirubin, urea, total alkaline phosphatase, bile acids, glucose, C-reactive protein, cholinesterase, and malondialdehyde, as well as catalase activity. Histological examination of the rat liver was carried out using the standard method with hematoxylin and eosin staining.

Results: This study showed that high-fat diet caused oxidative stress manifested by decreased the blood catalase level and increased malonovodialdehyde in both pregnant and non-pregnant females; the blood bile acids level also increased. In pregnant rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the serum C-reactive protein and total alkaline phosphatase levels increased, the cholinesterase level decreased, and the catalase activity decreased even more. In the study group using the low-molecular sugar preparation, biochemical parameters in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease improved, probably due to the effect on lipogenesis and oxidative stress in the liver. The histological pattern was characterized by the impaired structural characteristics of hepatocytes and the circulatory bed. With the use of the low-molecular-weight sugar preparation, we noted a tendency to restore the structure of the hepatic beam area and a decrease in the manifestations of steatosis.

Conclusions: The use of the low-molecular-weight sugar preparation in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease improves biochemical blood parameters and tends to restore the histological structure of the liver.