Fig. 1

Diosgenin (DG) prevented cholesterol gallstone formation and alleviated hepatic lipid deposition. A Changes in the body weights of the mice fed with lithogenic diet (LD) during 8 weeks. B Body weight gain at 8 weeks. C Appearance of gallbladder in mice from LD, LD-1DG, LD-2DG and LD-EZM groups. Gallstone formed in 100% of mice fed with LD, but none in mice fed with LD-1DG, LD-2DG or LD-EZM. D Appearance of liver. E Ratio of liver to body weight. F Representative H&E staining of liver tissues from the four groups. G and H Hepatic total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, respectively. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 10 in each group). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001. LD: lithogenic diet; LD-1DG: LD + 1% diosgenin; LD-2DG: LD + 2% diosgenin; LD-EZM: LD + ezetimibe