Prevention of high-fat/high-sugar diet-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats with fermented and raw Rosa roxburghii Tratt (Cili) juice.

INTRODUCTION: Rosa roxburghii Tratt (Cili) is a medicinal and edible plant that has hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. METHODS: To compare and confirm the potential effects of spontaneous fermented/raw Cili juice (FCJ/RCJ) on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the constituents of FCJ and RCJ were characterized and compared, high-fat/high-sugar diet (HFD) and streptozocin (STZ)-induced T2DM-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) model rats were gavaged with FCJ/RCJ (1.5 mL/kg/day) for 20 weeks, after which serum, urine and liver and pancreas tissues were collected for experiments, and urine non-targeted metabolomics and liver transcriptomics analyses were conducted, and enhanced analysis of metabolomics results and the liver transcriptome. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that FCJ and RCJ ameliorated hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and abnormal hepatic function; mitigated hepatic lipid accumulation; and restored insulin expression levels. These two kinds of Cili juices can modulate disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism, have anti-inflammatory effects, and improve sterol metabolism and bile acid homeostasis. Joint analysis indicated that the antidiabetic effects of FCJ/RCJ in rats with T2DM-associated NAFLD are mediated through improvements in insulin sensitivity, fatty acid metabolism, and bile acid homeostasis. Notably, FCJ has a stronger anti-inflammatory effect, whereas RCJ preferentially regulates bile acid homeostasis and mitochondrial β-oxidation. CONCLUSION: The in vivo experiments of T2DM-associated NAFLD rats conducted in this study demonstrate that FCJ/RCJ has the potential to ameliorate metabolic disorders.