Chrysin and its nanoliposome ameliorated non-alcoholic steatohepatitis via inhibiting TLR4 signalling pathway

Abstract Objectives Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic liver disease histologically characterized by liver steatosis, hepatocellular injury, inflammation and fibrosis, resulting in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but effective measures and obvious pathogenesis for NASH remain elusive. Chrysin (CH) has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects but shows lower bioavailability. Methods In this study, a chrysin nanoliposome (CH-NL) was first prepared and characterized. Then, we used the methionine–choline-deficient (MCD) diet to induce a mouse model of NASH. Finally, the effects of CH and CH-NL on NASH were evaluated in the liver of NASH mice. Key findings The results showed that CH or CH-NL significantly reduced the accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes, alleviated liver injury, decreased the generation of radical oxygen species, and attenuated the accumulation of collagen fibre in the liver of NASH mice. In addition, CH and its nano-liposomes markedly inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver of NASH mice. Further studies found that CH-NL and CH-NL downregulated the MCD diet-induced activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signalling pathway in the liver of mice. Conclusions CH and its nanoliposome alleviated MCD diet-induced NASH in mice, which might be through inhibiting TLR4 signalling pathway.