Abstract: Objective · To investigate the effects of different doses of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) and aerobic exercise on rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its mechanisms. Methods · SD rats of 8 weeks old were randomly divided into normal control group and high fat diet (HFD) group. The normal control group was given normal diet, and the HFD group was given HFD for 10 weeks to construct a NAFLD rat model. After successful modeling, the rats with NAFLD were assigned into four groups with eight in each, namely: HFD group, LBP-a group (50 mg/kg), LBP-b group (100 mg/kg) and aerobic exercise group (20 m/min, 60 min/d). After the intervention for 6 weeks, fasting for 12 hour and fasting blood glucose level was measured. Blood samples and liver tissues of rats were collected after intraperitoneal anesthesia with 10% chloral hydrate. The levels of glutamate pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TAG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and irisin in rats were measured according to corresponding protocols of kits. The s of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 α (Pgc1-α) and fibronectin type Ⅲ domain-containing protein 5 (Fndc5) in liver were detectedusing reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results · Compared with the HFD group, the levels of GPT, GOT, TC, TAG, MDA and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were significantly decreased in LBP-a group, LBP-b group and aerobic exercise group (PPPPgc1-α mRNA in LBP-b group and aerobic exercise group were up-regulated as compared with the HFD group (PFndc5 mRNA in three intervention groups were up-regulated as compared with the HFD group (PConclusion · LBP and aerobic exercise can significantly improve lipid metabolism disorder and decrease liver oxidative stress in rats with NAFLD, which may be related to the up-regulated s of Pgc1-α mRNA and Fndc5 mRNA.

Key words: Lycium barbarum polysaccharides , aerobic exercise, high fat diet, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease