Du-zhong (Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) leaf extract mediates hypolipidemic action in hamsters fed a high-fat diet.
This study examined the effect of a Du-zhong (Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) leaf extract (0.175 g/100 g diet) that was supplemented with a high-fat diet (10% coconut oil, 0.2% cholesterol, wt/wt) on hyperlipidemic hamsters. Hamsters fed with Du-zhong leaf extract for 10 weeks showed a smaller size of epididymal adipocytes compared to the control group. The supplementation of the Du-zhong leaf extract significantly lowered the plasma levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, non HDL-cholesterol, and free fatty acid, whereas it elevated the HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio and apolipoprotein A-I levels. The hepatic cholesterol concentration was lower in the Du-zhong group than in the control group. The plasma total cholesterol concentration was positively correlated with hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity (r = 0.547, p < 0.05) and hepatic cholesterol concentration (r = 0.769, p < 0.001). The hepatic fatty acid synthase and HMG-CoA reductase activities were significantly lowered by a Du-zhong leaf extract supplement in high fat-fed hamsters. Hepatic fatty acid synthase activity was positively correlated with plasma fatty acid concentration (r = 0.513, p < 0.05) that was lower in the Du-zhong group. These results demonstrate that the Du-zhong leaf extract exhibits antihyperlipidemic properties by suppressing hepatic fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis with the simultaneous reduction of plasma and hepatic lipids in high fat-fed hamsters.
Choi
Myung-Sook
MS
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea.
Jung
Un Ju
UJ
Kim
Hye-Jin
HJ
Do
Gyeong-Min
GM
Jeon
Seon-Min
SM
Kim
Myung-Joo
MJ
Lee
Mi-Kyung
MK
D000818:Animals; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D006224:Cricetinae; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D031283:Eucommiaceae; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008055:Lipids / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides