Antiatherogenic effect of Mezzetia parviflora BECC. extract in high cholesterol fed rats

Abstract

The investigation of anti-atherosclerotic activity of M. parviflora and the mechanisms responsible for the extract???s effects (antihypolipidemic, anti-lipidperoxidation, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) inhibition activities) has been performed. In this study, atherogenesis was induced by feeding rats with a hypercholesterolemic\ud diet (200 mg/Kg day -1 ) for 3 months. The cholesterol intake was administered along with simvastatin 3.6 mg/Kg or M. parvifloraextract at doses of 100, 300 and 500 mg/Kg. Atheroma observation was performed by immunohistochemistry staining method with anti-macrophage antibody (MAC387). Animal plasma biochemical (total cholesterol, trigliserida, HDL, LDL, malondialdehyde, and MCP-1) profiles were measured. M. parviflora extract dose dependently decreased the total-cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol levels; and increased HDL-cholesterol in atherogenic-diet rats. Furthermore, M. parviflora extract lowered the lipidperoxidation (malondilaldehyde, MDA) and MCP-1 production in dose dependent manner. Immunohistochemistry staining with anti-macrophage antibody(MAC387) showed that atherogenic-diet rats treated with M.\ud parvifloraextract at a dose of 500 mg/Kg was not colored positively, the same as that in normal and simvastatin treated groups. These results suggest that M. parviflora-standardized extract may have anti-atherosclerosis effect throughantihiperlipidemia and antilipid-peroxidation activities