[Effects of Fufang Jiangzhi No.3 on cholesterol-bile acid metabolism in rabbits with hypercholesterolemia].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of Fufang Jiangzhi No. 3, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on cholesterol-bile acid metabolism in rabbits with hypercholesterolemia and to explore the mechanism.


METHODS
Twenty-four male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned into normal control group, untreated group and Fufang Jiangzhi No. 3 group, with 8 rabbits in each group. Rabbits in the untreated group and Fufang Jiangzhi No. 3 group were fed high cholesterol diet to induce hypercholesterolemia. After 4-week treatment, serum total cholesterol and bile acid contents were assessed. Activity of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) in liver tissues was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expressions of CYP7A1, bile salt export pump (BSEP) and small heterodimer partner (SHP) mRNAs in liver tissues were observed by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Compared with the normal control group, serum total cholesterol and bile acid contents in the untreated group were increased (P<0.01). Activity of CYP7A1 and expression of CYP7A1 mRNA were decreased and expressions of BSEP and SHP mRNAs were increased in liver tissues in the untreated group as compared with the normal control group (P<0.01). Serum total cholesterol level, and expressions of BSEP and SHP mRNAs in the Fufang Jiangzhi No. 3 group were lower than those in the untreated group (P<0.01). The CYP7A1 activity and expression of CYP7A1 mRNA in the Fufang Jiangzhi No. 3 group were increased as compared with the untreated group (P<0.01), however, there was no significant difference in bile acid between the Fufang Jiangzhi No. 3 group and the untreated group.


CONCLUSIONS
Fufang Jiangzhi No. 3 can up-regulate the expression of CYP7A1 mRNA, raise the activity of CYP7A1, and inhibit the expressions of BSEP and SHP mRNAs to regulate the metabolism of total cholesterol in rabbits.
Mao
Qi-qi
QQ
Department of Gastroenterology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Sun
Xu
X
Qiu
Dong-ni
DN
Fu
Xiao-dong
XD
Liu
Yi
Y
Wang
Wen-jian
WJ
D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011817:Rabbits
D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D002784:Cholesterol; C532838:CYP7A1 protein, rat; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase