title: Antihyperlipidemic effect of methanolic extract from Opuntia joconostle seeds in mice fed a hypercholesterolemic diet.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of a methanolic extract from Opuntia joconostle seeds fed to mice in a hypercholesterolemic diet. Acute toxicity of the methanolic extract was investigated by an established method. Phenolic composition and antioxidant activity were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and DPPH, respectively. The total phenolic content of Opuntia joconostle seeds was 47.85 ± 1.29 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight. The main phenolic compounds were identified as quercetin, rutin, and cafeic acid. Percent inhibition of DPPH⁺ was 49.76 ± 0.49 %. The oral LD₅₀ for the methanolic extract from the Opuntia joconostle seeds was >5,000 mg/kg BW. Mice fed a hypercholesterolemic diet for six days exhibited significantly (P ≤ 0.001) higher plasma lipid levels than mice fed a normal diet. Remarkably, supplementation with methanolic extract from Opuntia joconostle at doses of 1, 2, and 5 g/kg body weight significantly (P ≤ 0.001) prevented the increase in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides level, and atherogenic index. Similar concentrations of the HDL cholesterol were observed in both treated and control groups. A significant dose-dependent reduction in lipid levels was noted for treated groups compared to the hypercholesterolemic group. We attribute this result to the seeds' phenolic composition. This methanolic extract has potential to be included in short-term hypercholesterolemia treatment regimens as it exhibits hypolipidemic activity with no apparent toxic manifestations.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Colonia Santo Tomas, 11340 Delegación Miguel Hidalgo, Distrito Federal, México.
authors.forename: Obed
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Osorio-Esquivel
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Moreno
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garduño-Siciliano
authors.forename: Valente B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: María Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hernández-Navarro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D000432:Methanol