title: Aqueous extract of Piper sarmentosum decreases atherosclerotic lesions in high cholesterolemic experimental rabbits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Piper sarmentosum (P.s) has flavonoid component in its leaves which has antioxidative effect. To date, its effect on atherosclerosis has not been studied histologically.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to investigate the effect of P.s on atherosclerotic changes in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty two male New Zealand white rabbits were divided into seven groups. C - control group fed normal rabbit chow, CH - cholesterol diet (1% cholesterol), W1 - 1% cholesterol with water extract of P.s (62.5 mg/kg), W2 - 1% cholesterol with water extract of P.s (125 mg/kg), W3 - 1% cholesterol with water extract of P.s (250 mg/kg), W4 - 1% cholesterol with water extract of P.s (500 mg/kg) and Smv - 1% cholesterol supplemented with simvistatin drug (1.2 mg/kg). All rabbits were treated for 10 weeks. Following 10 weeks of supplementation, the animals were sacrificed and the aortic tissue was taken for histological study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rabbits fed only with high cholesterol diet 1% cholesterol (CH) showed focal fatty streak lesions compared to the C group and 1% cholesterol supplemented with simvistatin drug (Smv) group. Atherosclerotic lesions in the 1% cholesterol group supplemented with P.s (500 mg/kg) i.e. W4 group showed significant reduction (30 + or - 6.0%, p < 0.05) in fatty streak compared to the high cholesterol group (85.6 + or - 4.1%) under Sudan IV stain. The atherosclerotic lesions under transmission electron microscope showed reduction in foam cells in the treatment groups compared to the CH groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of P.s extract has protective effect against atheroscleros.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia. adel_emran@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Adel A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amran
authors.forename: Zaiton
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Faizah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.forename: Srijit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Santhana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.forename: Nor-Anita M M
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Nordin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005419:Flavonoids; D005487:Foam Cells; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D031701:Piper / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002784:Cholesterol