Flaxseed oil and probiotics protect against induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in male rats

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of probiotics and flaxseed oil on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). 50 male albino rats were divided into five groups (10/each), the 1st negative control group fed on the basal diet (G1) and four other groups subjected to induced NAFLD and then classified into four groups; the 2nd positive control group induced-Non Alcoholic fatty liver disease (G2), the 3rd group was treated with flaxseed oil (G3), the 4th group was treated with live probiotics (G4) and the 5th group was treated with mixed of flaxseed oil and live probiotics (G5). The study was conducted for 8 weeks. GC analysis indicated that the main constituent of flaxseed oil is the omega-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid methyl ester (44.89 %). The positive control group showed severely altered lipid profile, liver enzymes, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and liver histology, whereas treating the NAFLD with flaxseed oil or probiotic strains or their mix significantly improved lipid profile, liver enzyme, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 “IL-6”), and significantly decreased oxidative stress levels than the positive control group. Flaxseed oil and probiotics, separately and in combination, confer hepatoprotective effects against induced NAFLD in rats.