Comparative antilipidemic effect of N-acetylcysteine and sesame oil administration in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic mice.
BACKGROUND
There is an increasing number of novel antilipidemic therapies under consideration. The putative hypolipidemic effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and sesame oil was studied in a mouse model of dietary-induced hypercholesterolemia.


METHODS
Male C57bl/6 mice were assigned to the following groups: (NC) control group, (HC) group receiving test diet supplemented with 2% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid for 8 weeks, (HCN) group receiving the test diet with NAC supplementation (230 mg/kg p.o.) and (HCS) group fed the test diet enriched with 10% sesame oil. Total serum cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were assayed at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Total peroxides and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured in the serum at the end of the experiment. Hepatic and aortic lesions were evaluated by haematoxylin-eosin staining.


RESULTS
Higher serum levels of total and LDL-cholesterol were recorded in all groups fed the high cholesterol diet. The HCN group presented reduced lipid levels compared to HC and HCS groups. No differences were observed between HCS and HC groups. Peroxide content in serum was markedly increased in mice consuming high cholesterol diet. NAC and sesame oil administration led to a significant decrease of serum lipid peroxidation in the levels of control group, whereas only NAC restored NO bioavailability. In terms of liver histology, the lesions observed in HCN group were less severe than those seen in the other high cholesterol groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Co-administration of NAC, but not sesame oil, restored the disturbed lipid profile and improved hepatic steatosis in the studied diet-induced hypercholesterolemic mice. Both agents appear to ameliorate serum antioxidant defense.
Korou
Laskarina-Maria
LM
Department of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research NS Christeas, Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. koroumarilina@gmail.com
Agrogiannis
George
G
Pantopoulou
Alkisti
A
Vlachos
Ioannis S
IS
Iliopoulos
Dimitrios
D
Karatzas
Theodoros
T
Perrea
Despoina N
DN
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D012715:Sesame Oil / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012715:Sesame Oil; D000111:Acetylcysteine