title: Decrease of blood lipids induced by Shan-Zha (fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida) is mainly related to an increase of PPARα in liver of mice fed high-fat diet.
abstract: Hyperlipidemia is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Agents for the treatment of hyperlipidemia are well-developed in the clinic while PPARα is a target for lipid-lowering agents. Shan-Zha (Crataegus pinnatifida) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to increase digestion. Also, Shan-Zha fruit extract showed merit to improve obesity and hyperlipidemia in hamsters; however, the mechanism remained obscure. In the present study, hypertriglycemia and hypercholesterolemia were induced by high fat diet in C57BL/6 J male mice. Then, they were orally administered with Shan-Zha fruit extract at an effective dose of 250 mg/kg for 7 days. The liver was removed to estimate the expressions of PPARα and β-oxidation-related enzyme. Oral intake of Shan-Zha extract significantly improved hyperlipidemia in high fat diet-fed mice with an increase of PPARα expression in liver. Also, expression of PPARα-regulated β-oxidation-related enzymes was raised in liver by Shan-Zha extract. However, adipose tissue and others were not modified by this treatment of Shan-Zha fruit extract. Thus, Shan-Zha can increase the expression of PPARα to facilitate β-oxidation-related enzymes in liver for lipid degradation and blood lipid decrement. Also, this is the first report showing Shan-Zha fruit extract can influence liver to lower hyperlipidemia prior to the action in adipose tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi College of Technology, Hualien City, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: C- S
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: C- T
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L- J
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: K- C
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: C- H
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: J- T
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027825:Crataegus / Q000737:chemistry*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008055:Lipids; D047493:PPAR alpha