Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by elevated triglycerides, liver enzymes, NAFLD-promoting genes, inflammatory biomarkers, and the degree of hepatic steatosis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of nano-curcumin on the liver enzymes, expression of PNPLA3 and TM6SF2, pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. In this study, 66 patients with NAFLD received one capsule containing 500 mg nano-curcumin. Then, FBS, liver enzymes, cholesterol, TG, BMI, LDL, and HDL levels were measured. Besides, the amount of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines in sera. In the in-vitro step, the expression of tissue-specific factors including PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 along with cytokines were determined by Real-time PCR and Western blotting in Hep G2 cells, respectively. The results revealed a significant reduction in LDL, BMI, TG, ALT, AST, and FBS levels after consumption of nano-curcumin. In this regard, TNF-α and IL-6 had a decreasing concentration compared to placebo-received patients, while IL-4 was elevated. Furthermore, the addition of nano-curcumin to Hep G2 cells showed a significant reduction of PNPLA3 as NAFLD-promoting gene along with TNF-α and IL-6 at both mRNA and protein levels. At the same time, IL-4 and TM6SF2 were upregulated as reducers of lipid accumulation. In conclusion, regarding the scarcity of effective treatments for NAFLD and since the nanocurcumin was safe and well-tolerated in this study and affected diverse contributing factors in NFALD, it could be nominated as a potential therapeutic target for patients with NFLAD.