Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 202-220 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 210 power (FRAP), and nitric oxide (NO) in the livers of ethanol-treated mice. At the same time, they reduce malondialdehyde (MDA) content and restore the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides (TG), and cholesterol to near-normal values. Liver cell necrosis, inflammatory responses, and ballooning degeneration are also markedly improved. Antioxidant peptides derived from mung bean protein hydrolysates can protect H₂O₂-injured human liver WRL-68 cells. These peptides restore cell viability, reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and MDA levels by about 55%, and improve mitochondrial function by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway, thereby protecting liver cells (Miao et al., 2023). Mung bean protein hydrolysates can also decrease ROS, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and MDA levels in NCTC-1469 liver cells while improving cell survival. Among the hydrolysate fractions, those with molecular weights below 3 kDa and rich in hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids show stronger protective activity (Xie et al., 2019). 6.2 Regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism In hamsters fed a high-cholesterol diet, both cooked whole mung beans and germinated whole mung beans reduce plasma total cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL cholesterol), increase fecal cholesterol excretion, lower AST and ALT activities, and reduce lipid accumulation in the liver. Germinated mung beans also show no inflammatory cell infiltration and better liver vascularization than cooked mung beans (Lopes et al., 2018). In diabetic rats, supplementation with mung bean water extract decreases plasma total cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol plus low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C+LDL-C), and hepatic MDA levels. It also increases the expression of hepatic hexokinase and regulates the activities of other liver metabolic enzymes, indicating that it can improve glucose and lipid metabolism while reducing oxidative stress (Huang et al., 2024). The seed coat of mung bean, which is rich in dietary fiber and phytochemicals, reduces liver lipid accumulation and insulin resistance in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). It also improves hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation. These effects are mainly related to the regulation of the gut microbiota and its metabolites (Hou et al., 2022). 6.3 Anti-inflammatory and detoxification mechanisms In an alcohol-induced liver injury model, mung bean extracts rich in flavonoids, together with their major active compounds vitexin and isovitexin, significantly reduce ALT, AST, and MDA levels, increase SOD activity, and relieve liver tissue damage. These results indicate that the extracts protect the liver from ethanol toxicity mainly through their antioxidant activity. Water extracts from germinated and fermented mung beans also reverse ethanol-induced increases in ALT, AST, blood lipids, NO, and MDA, and restore liver tissue to a nearly normal condition. These findings support the traditional use of mung beans for relieving alcohol intoxication and removing xenobiotics from the body (Liu et al., 2014). In a modified NIAAA model of alcoholic liver disease, ethanol extracts of mung bean reduce alcoholic liver injury by improving lipid metabolism disorders, inflammation, oxidative stress, and intestinal barrier damage. The protective effects involve PPARα-mediated regulation of lipid metabolism and activation of the Nrf2 antioxidant system. In addition, the extract increases the abundance of gut microorganisms associated with higher spermidine levels, and spermidine itself can produce similar hepatoprotective effects (Liu et al., 2025). 6.4 Evidence from animal and cell studies In a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease model, germinated mung beans reduce serum transaminase activity, lipid peroxidation, and nitrite/nitrate levels. They also restore glutathione levels and the expression of antioxidant enzyme-related genes, decrease mitochondrial ROS production, and prevent the progression of simple steatosis to steatohepatitis in rats (Alshammari et al., 2018).
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