Abstract
Thioacetamide (TAA) is known to induce lipid accumulation in the liver. In the present study, we investigated the effects of magma seawater (MS) rich in minerals on hepatic lipid metabolism by evaluating lipogenic enzymes regulated by sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs). Rats (n = 10 per group) were intraperitoneally injected with TAA (200 mg/kg bw) thrice a week for seven weeks in combination with a respective experimental diet. Rats in the TAA-treated group received either a chow diet (Control group) or a chow diet containing MS (TMS group, 2.05%) or silymarin (TSM group, 0.05%). Rats in the normal group were injected with PBS as a vehicle and received a chow diet. Rats in the TMS group showed significantly lower hepatic lipid concentrations than rats in the control group (p < 0.05). Hepatic protein expression levels of fatty acid synthase, SREBP-1, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, and SREBP-2 were significantly downregulated in the TMS group, whereas carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 levels were upregulated (p < 0.05). Hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels were lower in the TMS group, whereas protein levels of glutathione peroxidase and catalase were elevated (p < 0.05). The effects of MS were comparable to those of silymarin. Our results evidently showed that MS inhibits hepatic lipid accumulation by suppressing lipid synthesis, accompanied by lipid oxidation and elevation of antioxidative status.