title: [Study on effect of berberine on modulating lipid and CPT I A gene expression].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the modulating effect on lipid and gene expressions of CPT I A caused by berberine (Ber) in experimental hyperlipidemia rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups according to the blood lipid values: normal group, hyperlipidemia group, 300 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) Ber-treated group, 60 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) Ber-treated group, and 7.2 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) lovastatin-treated group. Normal group were fed with base diet and other groups were fed with high fat and cholesterol diet. 12 weeks after drugs were given the TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C from rat blood samples were tested by automatic biochemistry analyzer. Gene expressions of CPT I A and PPARalpha were evaluated by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was shown that Ber significantly decreased TC and LDL-C, but increased HDL-C in dose-dependent manner, elevated expressions of CPT I A mRNA and protein without influence on PPARalpha expression. Similar effects from lovastatin on lipidemia were observed except the Ber effect on CPT I A gene expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ber has modulating effect on the lipid metabolism, the mechanism of which may be by promoting the CPT I A gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmnacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China. wensai@163.com
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lingyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Huafeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Qixin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001599:Berberine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D047495:PPAR gamma; D001599:Berberine; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase