[Regulative effect of Opuntia powder on blood lipids in rats and its mechanism].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the regulative effect of opuntia powder on blood lipids in wistar rats and to explore its mechanism.


METHODS
Forty normal rats were divided into four groups:control group (fed with basal feed), opuntia high, middle and low dosage groups (fed with basal feed and opuntia powder of high, middle and low dosage. The influence of opuntia powder on serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), arteriosclerosis index (AI), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) were observed. (2) All of the hyperlipemia wistar rats for experiments were divided into four groups: model control group and other three groups (high, middle, low dosage groups respectively). Three weeks later, samples of blood were taken for survey of levels of TC, TG HDL-C, LDL-C, AI, MDA, SOD.


RESULTS
After opuntia powder treatment,the level of TC in nomal wistar rats was decreased. However, there was no significant difference comparing with control group (P > 0.05). The serum MAD level in the low, middle and high dosage groups were all obviously decreased, which were significantly lower than that in the control group. The SOD activities were all higher than that in the control group. The level of TC, LDL-C, AI (P < 0.01), TG (P < 0.05) were lower significantly in hyperlipemia wistar rats after treated by opuntia powder of high, middle and low dosage. The down-regulation of blood lipids was related with the dosage of opuntia powder.


CONCLUSIONS
The opuntia powder may regulate the level of blood lipids in normal and hyperlipemia wistar rats. The effect is more obviously in hyperlipemia rats than that in normal rats.
Li
Chun-yan
CY
The First Medical College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China. lcy032002@yahoo.com.cn
Cheng
Xiao-song
XS
Cui
Mei-zhi
MZ
Yan
Ya-geng
YG
D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D011208:Powders; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008055:Lipids; D011208:Powders; D014280:Triglycerides; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002784:Cholesterol; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase