Chemical Characterization and Differential Lipid-Modulating Effects of Selected Plant Extracts from Côa Valley (Portugal) in a Cell Model for Liver Steatosis.

Background/objectives: Côa Valley, located in the northeast of Portugal, harbors more than 500 medicinal plant species. Among them, four species stand out due to their traditional uses: Desf. (hemorrhages, urethritis, hepatitis), L. subsp. (Boiss. and Reut.) Malag. (inflammation, constipation), Vill., and L. (pain relief, gastric issues). Given their rich ethnomedicinal history, we evaluated their protective effects on an in vitro model of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Methods: Decoction (D) and hydroalcoholic (EtOH80%) extracts were prepared and chemically characterized. Their safety profile and effects on lipid accumulation were assessed in palmitic acid (PA)-treated HepG2 cells using resazurin, sulforhodamine B, and Nile Red assays.

Results: Chemical analysis revealed diverse phenolic compounds, particularly kaempferol derivatives in . All extracts showed minimal cytotoxicity at 25-50 µg/mL. At 100 µg/mL, only extracts maintained high cell viability. In the lipotoxicity model, decoction demonstrated the most potent effect, significantly reducing PA-induced neutral lipid accumulation in a dose-dependent manner, while other extracts showed varying degrees of activity.

Conclusions: These findings highlight decoction, rich in kaempferol derivatives, as particularly effective in reducing lipid accumulation in this MASLD cell model while also providing a comprehensive characterization of traditionally used plants from the Côa Valley region.