Anti-inflammatory and hypolipemic effects in vitro of simvastatin comparing to epicatechin in patients with type-2 hypercholesterolemia

The Effect of Simvastatin on Gut Microbiota and Lipid Metabolism in Hyperlipidemic Rats Induced by a High-Fat Diet

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of simvastatin (SIM) on lipid metabolism disorders and gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. The obtained results revealed that feeding rats with SIM (20 mg/kg/day) significantly decreased serum lipid level and inhibited hepatic lipid accumulation and steatosis. Histological analysis further indicated that SIM reduced lipid deposition in adipocytes and hepatocytes in comparison with that of the HFD group. The underlying mechanisms of SIM administration against HFD-induced hyperlipidemia were also studied by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based liver metabonomics coupled with pathway analysis. Metabolic pathway enrichment analysis of liver metabolites with significant difference in abundance indicated that fatty acids metabolism and amino acid metabolism were the main metabolic pathways altered by SIM administration. Meanwhile, operational taxonomic units (OTUs) analysis revealed that oral administration of SIM altered the composition of gut microbiota, including Ruminococcaceae (OTU960) and Lactobacillus (OTU152), and so on. Furthermore, SIM treatment also regulated the mRNA levels of the genes involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of the liver-related proteins (CD36, CYP7A1 and SREBP-1C) showed that oral administration of SIM could regulate the levels of the protein expression related to hepatic lipid metabolism.

Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of ethanol extract of Cassia fistula fruit in hyperlipidemic mice

CONTEXT

The plant Cassia fistula L. (Caesalpiniaceae) fruit was widely used by traditional practitioners to treat cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in India. Hyperlipidemia is a lipid metabolism disorder and the major risk factor for the development of CVDs. Although most of the current hypolipidemic drugs are expensive and have potential side effects, the research focusing on natural alternative medicines is relevant.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of ethanol extract of C. fistula fruit (CFE) in high-fat diet (HFD) induced hyperlipidemia in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Oral administration of CFE at 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg body weight on HFD induced hyperlipidemia mice for 30 days. The standard drug atorvastatin (20 mg/kg) was used to compare the efficacy of CFE. Hypolipidemic effect was evidenced by the measurement of serum lipid profile and further confirmed by Oil Red O staining of adipose tissue. The hepatic and cardiac melondialdehyde (MDA) level and antioxidant enzyme activities including superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were determined.

RESULTS

Treatment with CFE at different doses has significantly restored the levels of serum lipid, MDA and enzymes activities in the liver and heart of hyperlipidemia mice. Oil Red O staining of visceral adipose tissue has shown marked reduction of lipid accumulation in adipocytes; whereas, administration of CFE at 500 mg/kg showed remarkable (p < 0.001) hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects in HFD fed mice.

CONCLUSION

C. fistula fruit demonstrated hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties in vivo and the results corroborate the use of this plant in traditional medicine for cardiac ailments.

Chitosan treatment abrogates hypercholesterolemia-induced erythrocyte's arginase activation

This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of chitosan (CS) against hypercholesterolemia (HC) induced arginase activation and disruption of nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis using erythrocytes as cellular model. Human erythrocytes were isolated and classified into eight groups. Next, cells were treated with l-arginine (l-ARG), N^ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), CS or CS + l-ARG in the presence of normal plasma or cholesterol enriches plasma. Then, erythrocytes were incubated at 37 °C for 24 h. The present results revealed that, HC induced significant increase of cholesterol inclusion into erythrocytes membrane compared to control. Moreover, HC caused significant decrease in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity similar to l-NAME; however, arginase activity and arginase/NOS ratio significantly increased compared to control. On contrast, treatment of HC with, l-arginine, CS or CS plus l-arginine prevents HC induced cholesterol loading into erythrocytes membrane, NOS inhibition and arginase activation. This study suggested that CS could be protective agent against HC induced disruption of erythrocyte’s oxidative status and arginase activation.

In vivo influence of extract from Aronia melanocarpa on the erythrocyte membranes in patients with hypercholesterolemia

Background

Hypercholesterolemia increases cholesterol concentration in erythrocyte membranes, which results in decrease of membrane fluidity and decreases the deformability of red blood cells. The fruits of Arona melanocarpa contains many of polyphenols and other compounds that have beneficial health effects.

Material/Methods

The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of 2-month supplementation of extract from Aronia melanocarpa (100 mg Aronox, three times per day) on cholesterol concentration, lipid peroxidation, membrane fluidity, level of thiol groups and activity of ATPase in erythrocytes from patients with hypercholesterolemia. The study involved 25 patients with hypercholesterolemia without pharmacological treatment and 20 healthy individuals as a control group. Blood samples were collected before, and after 1 and 2 months of Aronia administration.

Results

The 2-month Aronia supplementation resulted in a decrease of cholesterol concentration (by 22%) and a decrease of lipid peroxidation (by 40%), and an increase of membrane fluidity. No statistically significant increase of the concentration of thiol groups and of ATPase activity were observed.

Conclusions

Our study shows that supplementation of extract from Aronia melanocarpa has a beneficial effect on rheological properties of erythrocytes.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate potently inhibits the in vitro activity of hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase

Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) is the rate-controlling enzyme of cholesterol synthesis, and owing to its biological and pharmacological relevance, researchers have investigated several compounds capable of modulating its activity with the hope of developing new hypocholesterolemic drugs. In particular, polyphenol-rich extracts were extensively tested for their cholesterol-lowering effect as alternatives, or adjuvants, to the conventional statin therapies, but a full understanding of the mechanism of their action has yet to be reached. Our work reports on a detailed kinetic and equilibrium study on the modulation of HMGR by the most-abundant catechin in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Using a concerted approach involving spectrophotometric, optical biosensor, and chromatographic analyses, molecular docking, and site-directed mutagenesis on the cofactor site of HMGR, we have demonstrated that EGCG potently inhibits the in vitro activity of HMGR (K(i) in the nanomolar range) by competitively binding to the cofactor site of the reductase. Finally, we evaluated the effect of combined EGCG-statin administration.

Effect of the carthamins yellow from Carthamus tinctorius L. on hemorheological disorders of blood stasis in rats

Hemorheological disorders may play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of many diseases. Blood stasis, i.e. the decrease of blood flow velocity, indicates hemorheological abnormalities. The carthamins yellow (CY), isolated from Carthamus tinctorius L., has been extensively used as a natural food colorant. We investigated the effects of CY on a blood stasis model, which was obtained by placing rats in ice-cold water during the time interval between two injections of epinephrine. The results demonstrated that the CY significantly decreased the whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and erythrocyte aggregation index, which were increased in the blood stasis model. Hematocrit and platelet aggregation were reduced, while prothrombin time was delayed with increasing doses of CY. Therefore, CY administration might provide the additional benefit of increasing blood fluidity by lowering blood viscosity, which can be of great value in the prevention of hemorheological disorder-associated diseases in at risk patients. Meanwhile, the mild activities of antiplatelet aggregation and anticoagulation induced by CY should be considered, if these relatively untoward symptoms occurred when the hemorrhagic patients ate food colored by CY. However the small amounts used in food are highly unlikely to cause adverse effects.