BAX and hydrops fetalis: Importantly, findings from cell culture were corroborated in vivo: Western blot analysis of liver tissue from HF-treated mice confirmed suppression of apoptotic markers (reversal of pro-apoptotic Bax upregulation and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 downregulation) and pyroptotic markers (reduced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and gasdermin D N-terminal fragment expression), consistent with in vitro observations in HepG2 cells.