Natural Diosmin Alleviating Obesity and NAFLD by Regulating AMPK Pathway

Obesity and NAFLD (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) could cause a series of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease and type II diabetes. In our previous study, diosmin, a natural flavonoid identified from C. morifolium, was found to regulate glucose metabolism, but its effects on lipid metabolism and mechanisms were not well studied. The AMPK pathway plays an important role in glucose and lipid metabolism. However, up to date, diosmin has not been reported to be associated with AMPK pathway. We investigated that diosmin reduced lipid content by activating the AMP-activatedprotein kinase (AMPK) pathway in HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, diosmin inhibited lipogenesis and thus acts as an anti-obesity agent in obese mice. Meanwhile, diosmin effectively alleviated NAFLD in vivo. In conclusion, diosmin may be potentially used as a candidate drug for treating obesity and NAFLD.