Triticum aestivum ethanolic extract improves non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice fed a choline‐deficient or high‐fat diet

Background Although non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become more prevalent with the rapid increase of obesity worldwide, no specific treatment has been developed. Several studies have shown that wheatgrass extract Triticum aestivum (TA) improves lipid metabolism. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of GM‐T (an ethanolic TA extract) in a murine NAFLD model. Mice were separated into 12 groups (n = 10): two groups of normal diet, choline‐deficient diet (CDD) or high‐fat diet (HFD) with vehicle, CCD or HFD with silymarin (400 mg kg−1 day−1), and CCD or HFD with GM‐T (100, 200 or 400 mg kg−1 day−1). The study was performed for 8 weeks for the CDD groups and 12 weeks for the HFD groups. Results In the CDD‐fed mice, GM‐T improved serum liver enzyme activities and liver inflammation score compared to vehicle. In the HFD‐fed mice, GM‐T improved blood lipid profiles, liver inflammation score, steatosis score and obesity compared to vehicle. Conclusion The present study demonstrated that GM‐T effectively improved NAFLD in mice via a mechanism that improved insulin resistance and lipid metabolism, suggesting the possibility of a functional dietary supplement to improve liver health, overall metabolic syndrome and obesity. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry