title: Cholesterol-lowering activity of the aqueous extract of Spergularia purpurea in normal and recent-onset diabetic rats.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of single and repeated oral administration of the aqueous extract of Spergularia purpurea (SP) at a dose of 10mg/kg in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In normal rats, the aqueous extract of SP induced a significant decrease of the plasma cholesterol concentrations 6h after a single oral administration (P<0.05) and 2 weeks after repeated oral administration (P<0.05). The plasma triglycerides levels increased significantly 6h after a single oral administration (P<0.05) and decreased 2 weeks after repeated oral administration (P<0.05). In diabetic rats, SP treatment caused a significant decrease of plasma cholesterol levels after a single (P<0.01) and repeated (P<0.01) oral administration. A significant increase of triglycerides levels was observed 6h after a single oral administration of the SP aqueous extract (P<0.01). One week after repeated oral administration of SP aqueous extract, the plasma triglycerides levels were significantly decreased (P<0.005) and still dropped after 2 weeks (P<0.01). On the other hand, the repeated oral administration of SP aqueous extract caused a significant decrease of body weight after 2 weeks of treatment in both normal (P<0.001) and diabetic (P<0.01) rats. We conclude that the aqueous extract of SP exhibits a cholesterol and body weight-lowering activities in both normal and severe hyperglycaemic rats.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Errachidia, UFR Physiology of the Nutrition and Endocrinian Pharmacology, BP 509, Errchidia, Boutalamine, Morocco.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jouad
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemhadri
authors.forename: Mhamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maghrani
authors.forename: Naoufel Ali
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Zeggwagh
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eddouks
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D029748:Caryophyllaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol