Representative peer-reviewed studies (verbatim abstracts)
The following studies were retrieved from Europe PMC / PubMed and are reproduced verbatim. Interpretive synthesis is left to the API user.
PMID:42283012 — Multi-target synergistic mechanisms of flavonoid compounds from traditional Chinese medicine in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: insights for human and veterinary medicine.
- Source: Front Vet Sci 2026
- Front Vet Sci. 2026 May 27;13:1804773. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1804773.
eCollection 2026.
Multi-target synergistic mechanisms of flavonoid compounds from traditional Chinese medicine in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: insights for human and veterinary medicine.
Wang Y(#)(1), Wan C(#)(1), Mu L(1), Zhu A(2), Li Y(1), Liu Y(1), Bao Y(1), Bao F(1).
Author information: (1)College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China. (2)Inner Mongolia Puze Animal Health Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Hohhot, China. (#)Contributed equally
INTRODUCTION: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent chronic liver disorder characterized by dysregulated hepatic lipid metabolism, with a continuously rising global incidence and limited safe and effective therapeutic options. Importantly, NAFLD-like conditions, namely hepatic lipidosis or fatty liver syndrome, also prevail in veterinary clinical practice, affecting companion animals (obese cats and dogs) and livestock (periparturient dairy cows, fattening pigs, and broiler chickens). These metabolic liver disorders are primarily induced by inappropriate feeding management and metabolic stress, leading to reduced production performance and survival rate of animals, huge economic losses to the livestock industry, and impaired health of companion animals. Flavonoid compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) possess the advantages of low toxicity and multi-target pharmacological effects, and have emerged as promising natural agents for NAFLD amelioration. METHODS: This study adopted a systematic review approach to comprehensively collect, sort out, and summarize recent relevant research findings. We focused on widely reported TCM flavonoids, including quercetin, apigenin, and luteolin, and systematically analyzed the diverse molecular pathways and potential mechanisms by which these compounds exert protective effects against NAFLD and veterinary fatty liver diseases. RESULTS: Existing research evidence demonstrates that TCM flavonoids improve NAFLD through multiple core regulatory pathways. These compounds reverse hepatic lipid metabolism disorders by activating the AMPK/SIRT1 and PPARα signaling pathways, inhibit lipogenesis by suppressing the key lipogenic factor SREBP-1c, and accelerate lipid catabolism by promoting fatty acid β-oxidation. In addition, flavonoids effectively alleviate hepatic oxidative stress, inhibit inflammatory responses, and delay the progression of liver fibrosis. Furthermore, they exert protective effects via regulating novel mechanisms, including cellular autophagy, ferroptosis, and intestinal microbiota homeostasis. DISCUSSION: The multi-target and systematic regulatory characteristics of TCM flavonoids make them excellent candidate natural drugs for NAFLD intervention in both human and veterinary medicine. Nevertheless, several limitations and challenges remain in current research, including low bioavailability of flavonoids and unclear synergistic effects among different flavonoid components. Future studies should focus on improving the bioavailability of flavonoids, elucidating their synergistic molecular mechanisms, and exploring species-specific pharmacokinetic characteristics in cats, dogs, and cattle. Moreover, the development of practical and palatable preparations such as feed additives is essential to promote the clinical translation and large-scale application of flavonoids for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD in human and veterinary clinical practice.
Copyright © 2026 Wang, Wan, Mu, Zhu, Li, Liu, Bao and Bao.
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1804773 PMCID: PMC13251695 PMID: 42283012
Conflict of interest statement: Author AZ was employed by Inner Mongolia Puze Animal Health Biotechnology Co., Ltd. The remaining author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Abstract (verbatim excerpt):
JOURNAL:Front Vet Sci 2026
- Front Vet Sci. 2026 May 27;13:1804773. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1804773.
eCollection 2026.
Multi-target synergistic mechanisms of flavonoid compounds from traditional
PMID:42188883 — Evaluation of Serum Homocysteine and High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponins in Cats with Hepatic Lipidosis: An Observational Clinical Study.
- Source: Vet Sci 2026
- Vet Sci. 2026 Apr 23;13(5):413. doi: 10.3390/vetsci13050413.
Evaluation of Serum Homocysteine and High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponins in Cats with Hepatic Lipidosis: An Observational Clinical Study.
Tunç AC(1), Ayvazoğlu C(2), Kızıltepe Ş(3), Bayendur SH(1), Acar A(1).
Author information: (1)Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. (2)Department of Laboratory and Veterinary Health, Nihat Delibalta Göle Vocational School, Ardahan University, 75002 Ardahan, Turkey. (3)Department of Laboratory and Veterinary Health, Tuzluca Vocational School, Iğdır University, 76000 Iğdır, Turkey.
Feline hepatic lipidosis (FHL) is a life-threatening, common hepatobiliary disease characterized by massive triglyceride accumulation in the liver, often triggered by anorexia and negative energy balance in cats. This condition causes severe metabolic stress that may secondarily impact myocardial integrity. This observational clinical study evaluated serum homocysteine (Hcy) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponins (hs-cTnI, hs-cTnT) to assess secondary myocardial injury and their prognostic value in FHL. Fifty cats, comprising 30 with naturally occurring FHL and 20 healthy controls, were included. Serum Hcy, hs-cTnI, and hs-cTnT concentrations were measured using feline-specific ELISA kits, and routine biochemical parameters, alongside hospitalization times, were recorded. Results indicated that Hcy, total bilirubin, and liver enzymes were significantly elevated in the FHL group compared to controls (p < 0.001). However, hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT levels did not differ significantly between the groups. Notably, Hcy exhibited a strong positive correlation with hospitalization time (r = 0.89, p < 0.001). The absence of significant hs-cTn elevations suggests the feline myocardium remains largely resistant to acute necrosis during FHL. Nevertheless, relative hyperhomocysteinemia is a powerful prognostic biomarker for prolonged hospitalization in affected cats.
DOI: 10.3390/vetsci13050413 PMCID: PMC13211653 PMID: 42188883
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
- Abstract (verbatim excerpt):
JOURNAL:Vet Sci 2026
- Vet Sci. 2026 Apr 23;13(5):413. doi: 10.3390/vetsci13050413.
Evaluation of Serum Homocysteine and High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponins in Cats with Hepatic Lipidosis: An Obser
PMID:42188039 — Lipidomic Signatures in Feline Disease: A PRISMA-Guided Systematic Review.
- Source: Metabolites 2026
- Metabolites. 2026 May 15;16(5):330. doi: 10.3390/metabo16050330.
Lipidomic Signatures in Feline Disease: A PRISMA-Guided Systematic Review.
Fontes AC(1), Silva CS(1)(2), Matos AC(1), Dias IR(1)(2), Peixoto F(3)(4), Oliveira MM(3)(4), Domingues MR(5)(6), Viegas CA(1)(2)(7).
Author information: (1)Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal. (2)Animal and Veterinary Research Center (CECAV)-AL4AnimalS, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal. (3)Chemistry Center of Vila Real, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal. (4)RISE-Health-Health Research Network, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal. (5)CESAM, Departament of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. (6)Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. (7)CIVG-Vasco da Gama Research Center, University School Vasco da Gama (EUVG), Campus Universitário, Avenida José Rodrigues Sousa Fernandes, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal.
Background/Objectives: Lipidomics has become a key component of systems biology, enabling comprehensive characterisation of lipid species and their roles in health and disease. As regulators of membrane architecture, energy balance, inflammation, and cellular signalling, lipids offer a powerful framework for understanding metabolic dysfunction. In veterinary medicine, however, lipidomics remains comparatively underdeveloped. In cats, lipid metabolism is central to disorders such as hepatic lipidosis, cystitis, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and chronic inflammatory enteropathies, yet available data remain limited. This systematic review synthesised current evidence on lipidomics and lipid-focused profiling in feline disease and identified lipid alterations with potential clinical relevance. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus were searched for original studies (1994-2026) evaluating lipidomics or lipid-focused profiling in cats. Eligible studies assessed lipid species, fatty acids, lipid mediators, or lipoproteins in disease or physiological states. Owing to methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesised narratively. Results: Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria, covering hepatic, urinary, gastrointestinal, renal, neurological, oncological, metabolic, and pharmacologically modulated conditions. Recurring alterations involved lipoproteins, triglycerides, phospholipids, sphingolipids, fatty acids, and oxylipins. More consistent patterns emerged in hepatic lipidosis, where lipoprotein disturbances may aid diagnosis; in lower urinary tract disease, where PUFA-derived oxylipins differentiated bacterial from idiopathic cystitis; and in obesity, where phospholipid and triglyceride shifts reflected metabolic risk. Fatty acid remodelling in chronic enteropathies aligned with mucosal inflammation, while sphingolipid changes in neurological disease correlated with severity. Heterogeneity in analytical platforms, dietary control, and study design limited comparability. Conclusions: Feline lipidomics reveals biologically meaningful alterations with emerging diagnostic and prognostic value. Although still developing, lipid-focused approaches may enhance disease characterisation and support translational research. Larger, standardised studies and robust reference datasets are needed to validate lipid signatures for clinical implementation.
DOI: 10.3390/metabo16050330 PMCID: PMC13208954 PMID: 42188039
Conflict of interest statement: The authors state no conflicts of interest.
- Abstract (verbatim excerpt):
JOURNAL:Metabolites 2026
- Metabolites. 2026 May 15;16(5):330. doi: 10.3390/metabo16050330.
Lipidomic Signatures in Feline Disease: A PRISMA-Guided Systematic Review.
Fontes AC(1), Silva CS(1)(2),
PMID:42022391 — From pathogenesis to prevention: an update on the management of obesity and its associated comorbidities in cats.
- Source: Front Vet Sci 2026
- Front Vet Sci. 2026 Apr 7;13:1797197. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1797197.
eCollection 2026.
From pathogenesis to prevention: an update on the management of obesity and its associated comorbidities in cats.
Wang H(1), Wang W(1), Zhang Y(1), Yao J(1)(2), Liu Y(1), Pan L(1), Wang R(3), Wang J(4), Xia Z(4), Chen L(1), Xiong W(1)(3).
Author information: (1)Food Laboratory of Zhongyuan, Luohe, China. (2)College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou, China. (3)Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. (4)College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Overweight and obesity represent the most common nutritional disorder in domestic cats and constitute a significant global health issue. In this review, we synthesize current knowledge on the determinants, diagnosis, pathophysiology, complications, and comprehensive management of feline obesity. Feline overweight and obesity have a complex and multifactorial pathogenesis, arising from an interplay of intrinsic factors (e.g., genetic predisposition, age, sex, neutering status) and extrinsic factors (e.g., environment, owner behavior). The condition is characterized by a state of chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, endocrine dysregulation, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia, which collectively elevate the risk of numerous comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, urinary tract disorders, dermatopathies, cardiomyopathy, and respiratory diseases, ultimately compromising life expectancy. This means that early detection and examination of excess body weight are crucial to treatment and prevention; at the same time, weight loss should be centered around personalized nutritional intervention, combined with behavioral correction measures such as regular feeding schedules and increased physical exercise. Furthermore, maintaining good communication between clinicians and the pet owners, as well as continuous monitoring, is the key to achieving effective weight loss. Future research is needed to move beyond current reactive models and embrace a focus on metabolic health over weight, prediction over reaction, and pathogenesis over symptomatology, aiming for preemptive strategies that improve feline healthspan.
Copyright © 2026 Wang, Wang, Zhang, Yao, Liu, Pan, Wang, Wang, Xia, Chen and Xiong.
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1797197 PMCID: PMC13095525 PMID: 42022391
Conflict of interest statement: The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Abstract (verbatim excerpt):
JOURNAL:Front Vet Sci 2026
- Front Vet Sci. 2026 Apr 7;13:1797197. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1797197.
eCollection 2026.
From pathogenesis to prevention: an update on the management of obesity and it
PMID:41448592 — Effect of Parenteral Amino Acid Composition on Hyperammonemia in a Cat with Hepatic Lipidosis.
- Source: J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2026
- J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2026 Jan 1;62(1):38-42. doi: 10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7508.
Effect of Parenteral Amino Acid Composition on Hyperammonemia in a Cat with Hepatic Lipidosis.
Park J, Kang BT, Lee Y, Yun T, Kim H, Chae Y.
An 8 yr old spayed female domestic shorthair presented with a 1 wk history of anorexia and lethargy. Cytological examination of the liver using fine-needle aspiration revealed numerous adipocytes, confirming hepatic lipidosis. The cat was hospitalized for treatment; subsequently, the clinical signs and blood analysis results improved. On day 17, the nasoesophageal tube was removed because of recovery of appetite and vitality. However, owing to insufficient voluntary food intake, partial parenteral nutrition (PPN) was initiated using an amino acid solution with a low branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)/aromatic amino acid (AAA) ratio and arginine deficiency. Within 24 hr of PPN administration, neurological signs were observed, including vocalization, panting, hyperactivity, and a subsequent comatose state. Although hepatic encephalopathy was considered, there was limited evidence of hepatic failure. The clinical course was most consistent with acute hyperammonemia secondary to arginine deficiency, although a contributing role of the low BCAA/AAA ratio cannot be excluded. This case suggests that amino acid PPN with arginine deficiency and a low BCAA/AAA ratio may contribute to neurological signs in cats, underscoring the importance of careful amino acid selection in nutritional formulations.
DOI: 10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7508 PMID: 41448592 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
- Abstract (verbatim excerpt):
JOURNAL:J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2026
- J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2026 Jan 1;62(1):38-42. doi: 10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7508.
Effect of Parenteral Amino Acid Composition on Hyperammonemia in a Cat with Hepatic Li
PMID:41742558 — Preliminary metabolic characterization of hepatic lipidosis in cats using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: pathway insights and candidate biomarkers.
- Source: J Vet Intern Med 2026
- J Vet Intern Med. 2026 Jan 21;40(1):aalaf091. doi: 10.1093/jvimsj/aalaf091.
Preliminary metabolic characterization of hepatic lipidosis in cats using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: pathway insights and candidate biomarkers.
Xu R(1), Yang Y(2), Bu F(1), Liu L(1), Liu Z(1), Wang X(1), Feng S(1), Zhao C(1).
Author information: (1)College of Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China. (2)College of Animal Science and Technology, Shanxi Agricultural University, jinzhong, China.
BACKGROUND: Feline hepatic lipidosis (FHL) lacks well-defined metabolic biomarkers and mechanistic understanding. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Clarify the metabolic biomarkers and mechanisms of FHL. ANIMALS: Two groups of cats were analyzed: 14 cats (7 FHL cases and 7 healthy controls) for liver metabolomics, and 60 cats (10 FHL cases and 50 healthy controls) for blood 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-HB) testing. METHODS: Hepatic lipidosis was confirmed by histopathological assessment and ultrasonography. Untargeted metabolomics was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), with pathway analysis using MetaboAnalyst 5.0. Serum 3-HB was quantified using an enzymatic assay. Statistical analysis included principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, cross-validation, permutation tests, and F₁ score evaluation for model validation. RESULTS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified four metabolites with variable importance in projection > 1 (bootstrap 95% stability range, 0.9-1.3) and < 0.05, whereas LC-MS identified 243 differentially abundant metabolites (101 upregulated, 142 downregulated), with 19 demonstrating diagnostic potential (area under the curve [AUC] > 0.7). Pathway analysis identified perturbations in vitamin B6 metabolism (P = .003) and fructose/mannose metabolism (P < .001). Serum 3-HB underwent analytical validation in 60 specimens (10 FHL cases, 50 healthy controls), which identified concordant hepatic and systemic increases in FHL. At the optimal cutoff (>2.43 mmol/L), it achieved an AUC of 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-1.00) with 92% sensitivity (95% CI, 89%-100%) and 88% specificity (95% CI, 74%-100%) in distinguishing FHL from normal liver under controlled laboratory conditions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Preliminary data suggest FHL involves dysregulated fatty acid and vitamin B6 metabolism. Although serum 3-HB shows promise, future studies should include disease controls (eg, cholangitis, hepatitis) to establish specificity. These findings provide foundational insights for mechanistic research.
© The Author(s) 2026. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
DOI: 10.1093/jvimsj/aalaf091 PMCID: PMC12866907 PMID: 41742558
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
- Abstract (verbatim excerpt):
JOURNAL:J Vet Intern Med 2026
- J Vet Intern Med. 2026 Jan 21;40(1):aalaf091. doi: 10.1093/jvimsj/aalaf091.
Preliminary metabolic characterization of hepatic lipidosis in cats using liquid chromat