Effects of Dai-saiko-to (Da-Chai-Hu-Tang) on plasma lipids and atherosclerotic lesions in female heterozygous heritable Kurosawa and Kusanagi-hypercholesterolemic (KHC) rabbits.
We investigated the antihypercholesterolemic effects of traditional Japanese herbal medicine Dai-saiko-to (Da-Chai-Hu-Tang in Chinese) in female heritable Kurosawa and Kusanagi-hypercholesterolemic (KHC) rabbits. The plasma total cholesterol levels increased for up to 12 weeks after beginning a diet containing 0.1% cholesterol then reached a plateau of about 603 mg dl(-1). Dai-saiko-to was administered at doses of 0.5-1.0 g kg(-1) per day or pravastatin 10 mg kg(-1) per day for 24 weeks. Plasma total cholesterol levels were significantly decreased in the groups administered Dai-saiko-to 1.0 g kg(-1) per day or pravastatin for 4-24 weeks, whereas there were no change with plasma phospholipid and triglyceride levels. However, Dai-saiko-to 1.0 g kg(-1) per day significantly decreased plasma LDL cholesterol levels, but had no effect on either VLDL- or HDL-cholesterol levels. Moreover, LDL-receptor mRNA levels in the liver were significantly increased in the Dai-saiko-to 1.0 g kg(-1) per day group compared with those of animals receiving the 0.1% cholesterol diet. In addition, both groups receiving Dai-saiko-to 1.0 g kg(-1) per day and pravastatin showed a significantly reduced percentage of intimal surface area of thoracic aorta involved with atheromatous plaques in the thoracic aorta at 24 weeks. These results indicated that Dai-saiko-to 1.0 g kg(-1) per day significantly decreased the plasma cholesterol levels and atheromatous plaque area due to expression of the LDL mRNA gene in the liver.
Yoshie
Fumihiko
F
Kampo & Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Ami-machi, Yoshiwara, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan. yoshii@pop02.odn.ne.jp
Iizuka
Akira
A
Komatsu
Yasuhiro
Y
Matsumoto
Akiyo
A
Itakura
Hiroshige
H
Kondo
Kazuo
K
D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; C051121:daisaikoto; D002784:Cholesterol