Fig. 2

Effect of taurine and/or TPs on hepatic oxidative stress. Hepatic MDA levels in the model group and the model control group increased significantly compared with the normal group (P < 0.01), but no significant differences in hepatic SOD activities between each two groups were shown (P > 0.05) (a, b). Taurine treatment could decrease hepatic MDA levels (P < 0.01) and increase hepatic SOD activities in NASH rats (P < 0.05). After being treated with wsTP, no significant difference in SOD activity was shown compared with the model group (P > 0.05), while MDA levels decreased significantly compared with the model group (P < 0.01). When lsTP was given to NASH rats, hepatic MDA levels decreased significantly (P < 0.01) and hepatic SOD activity increased significantly (P < 0.01). To enhance the therapeutic effect of taurine or TPs on NASH alone, taurine and TPs (wsTP or lsTP) combination were used. Results showed that hepatic MDA levels in Tau + wsTP treated and Tau + lsTP treated NASH rats decreased significantly compared with NASH rats (P < 0.01), and hepatic SOD activity increased significantly (P < 0.01) in both the two group compared with NASH rats. Furthermore, when we compared taurine and TPs (wsTP or lsTP) combination treatment NASH rats with taurine or TPs treatment NASH rats, hepatic MDA levels in the combination treatment rats were lower than those in the taurine or TPs treatment rats (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and hepatic SOD activity in the combination treatment rats were more than those in the taurine or TPs treatment rats (P < 0.01). Results illustrated that the therapeutic effects of Tau + wsTP or Tau + lsTP treatment on NASH rats were superior to that of taurine or TPs (wsTP or lsTP) treatment alone. MDA, malondialdehyde; SOD, superoxide dismutase; NASH, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; Nor, normal group; Mod, model group; Mod cont, model control group; Tau, taurine treatment group; wsTP, water soluble tea polyphenols treatment group; lsTP, lipid soluble tea polyphenols treatment group; Tau + wsTP, taurine and water soluble tea polyphenols treatment group; Tau + lsTP, taurine and lipid soluble tea polyphenols treatment group; “*” p < 0.05; “**” p < 0.01; “No” p > 0.05