Nettle Leaf Water Extracts for Hepatoprotection: Insights into Bioactivity and Mitochondrial Function
This study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of nettle (<i>Urtica dioica</i> L.) leaf water extracts on oxygen consumption in the fatty acid oxidation (FAO) pathway using an in vitro fatty liver HepG2 cell model and employing an oxygraphy approach. It also examined the impac...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/992 |
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| author | Ruta Muceniece Beatrise Luize Revina Jorens Kviesis Aris Jansons Kirills Kopiks Kaspars Jekabsons Kristine Saleniece Jana Namniece Zane Grigale-Sorocina Baiba Jansone |
| author_facet | Ruta Muceniece Beatrise Luize Revina Jorens Kviesis Aris Jansons Kirills Kopiks Kaspars Jekabsons Kristine Saleniece Jana Namniece Zane Grigale-Sorocina Baiba Jansone |
| author_sort | Ruta Muceniece |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of nettle (<i>Urtica dioica</i> L.) leaf water extracts on oxygen consumption in the fatty acid oxidation (FAO) pathway using an in vitro fatty liver HepG2 cell model and employing an oxygraphy approach. It also examined the impact of these extracts on HepG2 cell lipid accumulation and viability under oxidative stress. The extracts were obtained via maceration with preservatives or by sonication with/without preservatives. Their chemical composition, including polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals, was analyzed. Bioactivity was confirmed through antioxidant and antiglycation in vitro assays. The extracts contained minerals, water-soluble vitamins, and polyphenols, primarily phenolic acids and rutin. Sonication increased the polyphenol yield, advanced glycation end-product (AGE) inhibition, and total antioxidant capacity compared to maceration. The added preservatives enhanced DPPH scavenging, while SOD-mimicking effects were comparable across extraction methods. In the liver steatosis model, the nettle extracts improved HepG2 cell viability under oxidative stress, reduced lipid accumulation, and enhanced mitochondrial oxygen consumption in the FAO pathway at mitochondria complex I. These findings demonstrate the impact of nettle leaf water extracts on oxygen flux in different oxidative phosphorylation states of the FAO pathway and deepen the understanding of nettle’s protective role in hepatic steatosis. The obtained results confirm the hepatoprotective effects of nettles through multiple mechanisms, primarily involving antioxidant activity, modulation of lipid accumulation, and mitochondrial protection. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-86e4c9a4ca2a4f5d9075ecf2f2aabfee |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-86e4c9a4ca2a4f5d9075ecf2f2aabfee2025-08-20T03:08:55ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-03-0114799210.3390/plants14070992Nettle Leaf Water Extracts for Hepatoprotection: Insights into Bioactivity and Mitochondrial FunctionRuta Muceniece0Beatrise Luize Revina1Jorens Kviesis2Aris Jansons3Kirills Kopiks4Kaspars Jekabsons5Kristine Saleniece6Jana Namniece7Zane Grigale-Sorocina8Baiba Jansone9Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Science and Technology, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaKinetics Nail Systems, Ltd., LV-1067 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaThis study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of nettle (<i>Urtica dioica</i> L.) leaf water extracts on oxygen consumption in the fatty acid oxidation (FAO) pathway using an in vitro fatty liver HepG2 cell model and employing an oxygraphy approach. It also examined the impact of these extracts on HepG2 cell lipid accumulation and viability under oxidative stress. The extracts were obtained via maceration with preservatives or by sonication with/without preservatives. Their chemical composition, including polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals, was analyzed. Bioactivity was confirmed through antioxidant and antiglycation in vitro assays. The extracts contained minerals, water-soluble vitamins, and polyphenols, primarily phenolic acids and rutin. Sonication increased the polyphenol yield, advanced glycation end-product (AGE) inhibition, and total antioxidant capacity compared to maceration. The added preservatives enhanced DPPH scavenging, while SOD-mimicking effects were comparable across extraction methods. In the liver steatosis model, the nettle extracts improved HepG2 cell viability under oxidative stress, reduced lipid accumulation, and enhanced mitochondrial oxygen consumption in the FAO pathway at mitochondria complex I. These findings demonstrate the impact of nettle leaf water extracts on oxygen flux in different oxidative phosphorylation states of the FAO pathway and deepen the understanding of nettle’s protective role in hepatic steatosis. The obtained results confirm the hepatoprotective effects of nettles through multiple mechanisms, primarily involving antioxidant activity, modulation of lipid accumulation, and mitochondrial protection.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/992nettle leaf extractshepatoprotectionphytochemicalsantioxidantsmitochondriaoxygraphy |
| spellingShingle | Ruta Muceniece Beatrise Luize Revina Jorens Kviesis Aris Jansons Kirills Kopiks Kaspars Jekabsons Kristine Saleniece Jana Namniece Zane Grigale-Sorocina Baiba Jansone Nettle Leaf Water Extracts for Hepatoprotection: Insights into Bioactivity and Mitochondrial Function Plants nettle leaf extracts hepatoprotection phytochemicals antioxidants mitochondria oxygraphy |
| title | Nettle Leaf Water Extracts for Hepatoprotection: Insights into Bioactivity and Mitochondrial Function |
| title_full | Nettle Leaf Water Extracts for Hepatoprotection: Insights into Bioactivity and Mitochondrial Function |
| title_fullStr | Nettle Leaf Water Extracts for Hepatoprotection: Insights into Bioactivity and Mitochondrial Function |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nettle Leaf Water Extracts for Hepatoprotection: Insights into Bioactivity and Mitochondrial Function |
| title_short | Nettle Leaf Water Extracts for Hepatoprotection: Insights into Bioactivity and Mitochondrial Function |
| title_sort | nettle leaf water extracts for hepatoprotection insights into bioactivity and mitochondrial function |
| topic | nettle leaf extracts hepatoprotection phytochemicals antioxidants mitochondria oxygraphy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/992 |
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