# Antihyperlipidemic Effect of Flavonoids and Saponins from Pyracantha fortuneana Fruits on L02 Cells and Caenorhabditis elegans

## TL;DR

This study shows that compounds from Pyracantha fortuneana fruits can reduce high lipid levels in human liver cells and worms.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific flavonoids and saponins in Pyracantha fortuneana with antihyperlipidemic properties.

## Key findings

- PFF and PFS reduced lipid droplets in high-fat L02 cells and improved mitochondrial function.
- Both fractions regulated lipid metabolism genes like Nrf2/ARE, CPT-1, and SIRT1.
- PFF and PFS lowered lipid deposition and oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans.

## Abstract

In China, Pyracantha fortuneana has been consumed as a nutritious plant to improve indigestion. In the current study, the main chemical composition of P. fortuneana fruits was extracted and analysed for composition. Free fatty acids (FFA)-induced normal human hepatic L02 cells were used to construct a high-fat cell model, and lipid deposition in Caenorhabditis elegans was induced by a high concentration of glucose to study the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of the main components. The results showed that the flavonoid content of PFF (P. fortuneana Flavonoid Fractions) was 80.28%, and it contained various flavonoids such as epicatechin, isoquercetin, rutin, quercetin, and myricitrin, while the saponin content of PFS (P. fortuneana Saponin Fractions) was 74.4%, and it contained saponins such as shionone, crategolic acid, and ursolic acid. PFF and PFS significantly reduced the content of lipid droplets in high-fat L02 cells, inhibited mitochondrial membrane potential decline, regulated the fat accumulation by up-regulating the relative mRNA expression levels in the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway, as well as the CPT-1 and SIRT1 genes in lipid metabolism. Meanwhile, both PFF and PFS significantly reduced lipid deposition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and catalase activity in C. elegans. In summary, our results indicated that the flavonoids and saponins of P. fortuneana are potential natural products in antihyperlipidemic effect.