Page 63 - THEi Student Applied Research Presentations 2025

EVALUATING THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS
OF FOOD MEDICINE HOMOLOGY IN

TREATING NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER
DISEASE (NAFLD)

Poster
FATHIMA Fidha
BSc (Hons) in Nutrition and Healthcare Management
Department of Food and Health Sciences

RESEARCH BACKGROUND OBJECTIVES

The research project focuses on using holistic approaches to treat chronic • To highlight the relationship between
diseases. The application of Food Medicine Homology like Traditional Chinese food and medicine
Medicine and Indian Ayurveda to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Non- • To evaluate the effectiveness of using
Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a growing health concern, affecting food-based traditional practices to
approximately 47 cases per 1,000 individuals worldwide. This condition can treat chronic diseases.
progress to severe liver issues, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Current • To identify how food components
treatments primarily focus on lifestyle changes and medications, which often
lack effectiveness. This project aims to explore the therapeutic benefits of with medicinal properties can help to
medicinal food homology using water extraction of Indian gooseberry and neem treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
leaves, to provide a natural alternative that may enhance liver function and • To evaluate and differentiate the
reduce fat accumulation, addressing a critical gap in NAFLD management. toxicity of clinical drugs and herbal
treatments
METHODOLOGY

The study uses an experimental design to evaluate the therapeutic effects of
Indian gooseberry and neem leaves on NAFLD. Initially, the herbs are water-
extracted by boiling them in a specified volume of water, followed by refrigeration
overnight. The extract is then freeze-dried to obtain a powder.
Alpha Mouse Liver 12 (AML-12) cells from rats with NAFLD are cultured, and
stock solutions are prepared by mixing the freeze-dried powder with distilled
water. Serial dilutions of the stock solution are added to the cell cultures at
varying concentrations. ABOUT THE INVESTIGATOR
The MTT assay measures cell viability, while Nile red staining evaluates fat I am deeply interested in treating
absorption in the cells under a microscope. Data analysis focuses on comparing diseases through medicinal food
the metabolic activity and lipid accumulation between control and experimental homology, a passion that has driven
groups, assessing the efficacy of the herbal treatments. my academic journey. I enjoy reading

FINDINGS and watching movies, which inspire
my creativity. My career goals include
Preliminary findings indicate that the water extraction of both Indian gooseberry researching innovative food-based
and Neem leaves effectively reduces fat accumulation in liver cells. The MTT therapies to enhance health and
assay results show high cell viability across various concentrations, suggesting well-being, integrating nutrition and
low toxicity of the extracts. Specifically, the optimal concentration of gooseberry medicine for better patient outcomes.
extract demonstrated significant hepatoprotective effects, maintaining nearly FYP Supervisor: Dr MAK Shing Hung,
100% cell viability. Marvin

Additionally, Nile red staining revealed decreased lipid absorption in treated
cells compared to controls, indicating the herbs’ potential to mitigate hepatic
steatosis. These results support the hypothesis that medicinal food homology
can enhance liver function and provide a safer alternative to conventional
treatments for NAFLD, highlighting the need for further research into their long-

Student Applied Research Presentations 2025 term therapeutic benefits. Student Applied Research Presentations 2025 52