Effects of Garcinia atroviridis on serum profiles and atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta of guinea pigs fed a high cholesterol diet.
BACKGROUND
The fruit extract of Garcinia atroviridis (G. atroviridis) contains hydroxycitric acid and flavonoids, which have been reported to have a hypolipidaemic property. This extract with solvent methanol was used to investigate its effects on serum lipid profiles of guinea pigs fed a high cholesterol diet.


METHODS
24 male Dunkin Hartley guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups. The first group served as controls and was fed with commercial rabbit chow. The second group was given only G. atroviridis by oral gavage (50 mg/body weight). The third group was fed a one percent cholesterol diet in food pellets in order to induce atherosclerosis. The fourth group was administered G. atroviridis with cholesterol. All the treatments were given daily for eight weeks, after which the animals were sacrificed, and the blood and aorta were taken for biochemical analysis and histological studies.


RESULTS
The supplementation of G. atroviridis with a cholesterol diet decreased the level of lipid profile in the serum. Histological studies showed a reduction in fat deposition in the aorta of high cholesterol diet animals given G. atroviridis as compared to the high cholesterol diet group.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown that dietary intake of G. atroviridis has a tendency to decrease lipid composition levels in the serum and reduce fat deposition in the aorta of high cholesterol diet animals.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia.
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Amran
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Zaiton
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Faizah
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Morat
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000097:blood*; D005638:Fruit; D029760:Garcinia; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology
D004041:Dietary Fats; D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations