Abstract: Objective To explore the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by detecting serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and leptin in SD rat models with NAFLD. Methods 60 rats were randomly divided into normal (n=8) and high-fat-feeding group (n=48). Three rats were selected for tissue biopsies in the two groups after 10 weeks experiments. The model rats were further divided into model, three doses of herbal medicine and silybinbin-intervened group for eight weeks. Serum TNF-α and leptin levels were detected by ELISA. Results The body weights in low-, middle- and high dose of herbal medicine were were(566±19.4)g, (577±24.3)g and (585±18.5)g, significantly less than in the model group; serum TNF-α levels in three herbal medicine-intervend groups were (30.7±3.5)pg/mL, (34.1±4.2)pg/mL and (37.0±2.3)pg/mL, respectively, much lower than in the model; serum leptin levels in large- and middle-dose-intervined groups were (2.8±0.2)ng/mL and (2.8±0.1)ng//mL, significantly lower than in the model; serum AST, ALT, TG, TC and festing blood glucose levels in three herbal medicine-intervened groups decreased obviously as compared to those in the model (P<0.01). Conclusion The Chinese herbal medicine might ameliorate liver steatosis by down-regulation of TNF-α and leptin in rats with NAFLD, which warrants further investigation.

Key words: Non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, Herbal medicine, Tumor necrosis factor-α, Leptin