Ethanolic root extract of Bouea macrophylla Griffith improves lipid homeostasis in palmitate-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells

The major characteristic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the excessive triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes due to an imbalance between lipid intake and removal, which also disrupts other lipid metabolism pathways. Therefore, the present study explored the effect of Bouea macrophylla Griffith root ethanolic extract (BME) on lipid homeostasis in palmitate-induced steatosis in HepG2 cells as well as the phytochemical content of BME. In palmitic acid-induced lipogenesis in HepG2 cells, BME (5–10 μg/ml) could suppress the expression of lipogenic genes, including sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and reduced lipid storage. Interestingly, the expression of the fatty acid oxidation gene, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, was upregulated, while that of cytochrome P450 2E1 was downregulated by BME. The screening of phytochemicals showed the presence of amines, flavonoids, and phenolics, and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed gallic acid as the major bioactive component of BME. These findings indicate that BME may be useful for improving abnormal lipid homeostasis in metabolic disease-related NAFLD.