title: Induction of peroxisomal fatty acyl-coenzyme A oxidase and total carnitine acetyl-coenzyme A transferase in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes by garlic extracts.
abstract: Garlic has been proposed as a natural hypolipidemic substance. Most hypolipidemic compounds induce peroxisomal proliferation and increase enzyme activities associated with peroxisomal beta-oxidation in rat liver. Here we report that garlic methanol-extracts behave as hypolipidemic drugs, increasing the activity of peroxisomal fatty acyl-coenzyme A oxidase and of total carnitine acetyl-coenzyme A transferase in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Both enzymes are considered markers associated with increased peroxisomal beta-oxidation. As in the case of hypolipidemic peroxisome proliferators, garlic extracts partially prevented the decrease in fatty acyl-coenzyme A oxidase as the culture aged. No changes were observed in the activity of microsomal NADPH cytochrome c reductase or of mitochondrial glutamate dehydrogenase.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Sciences, P. Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orellana
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bronfman
mesh_terms: D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase; D000818:Animals; D002332:Carnitine O-Acetyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D005737:Garlic; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008830:Microbodies / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase; D002332:Carnitine O-Acetyltransferase