title: Lipid-lowering and antioxidative activities of aqueous extracts of Ocimum sanctum L. leaves in rats fed with a high-cholesterol diet.
abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate the lipid-lowering and antioxidative activities of Ocimum sanctum L. (OS) leaf extracts in liver and heart of rats fed with high-cholesterol (HC) diet for seven weeks. The results shows that OS suppressed the high levels of serum lipid profile and hepatic lipid content without significant effects on fecal lipid excretion. Fecal bile acids excretion was increased in HC rats treated with OS. The high serum levels of TBARS as well as AST, ALT, AP, LDH, CK-MB significantly decreased in HC rats treated with OS. OS suppressed the high level of TABARS and raised the low activities of GPx and CAT without any impact on SOD in the liver. As for the cardiac tissues, OS lowered the high level of TABARS, and raised the activities of GPx, CAT, and SOD. Histopathological results show that OS preserved the liver and myocardial tissues. It can be concluded that OS leaf extracts decreased hepatic and serum lipid profile, and provided the liver and cardiac tissues with protection from hypercholesterolemia. The lipid-lowering effect is probably due to the rise of bile acids synthesis using cholesterol as precursor, and antioxidative activity to protect liver from hypercholesterolemia.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Rangsit University, Pathumthani 12000, Thailand. tmw706@gmail.com
authors.forename: Thamolwan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suanarunsawat
authors.forename: Watcharaporn Devakul Na
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Ayutthaya
authors.forename: Thanapat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Songsak
authors.forename: Suwan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thirawarapan
authors.forename: Somlak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poungshompoo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D031339:Ocimum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014867:Water; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase