title: Effects of artesunate and ursolic acid on hyperlipidemia and its complications in rabbit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find the novel hypolipidemic agents, the effects of ursolic acid and artesunate on hyperlipidemia and its complications were determined in rabbit fed with Western-type diet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  New Zealand rabbits fed a Western-type diet developed a hyperlipidemia. Rabbits received ursolic acid (25mg/kg) or artesunate (25mg/kg) alone, or in combination (12.5+12.5mg/kg), to prevent hyperlipidemia. Ursolic acid or artesunate alone significantly decreased the plasma cholesterol and triglyceride in rabbits. Furthermore, they both attenuated liver steatosis and reduced the area of aortic root lesions. The combination of ursolic acid and artesunate was more potent than either agent alone, which indicates a strong synergistic effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hypolipidemic effect of artesunate is firstly reported. Its combination with ursolic acid might have the potential to further develop for the treatment of atherosclerosis.
authors: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors: Y L
authors: YL
authors: Wang
authors: Z J
authors: ZJ
authors: Wang
authors: H L
authors: HL
authors: Shen
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Yin
authors: K X
authors: KX
authors: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077332:Artesunate; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D002784:Cholesterol; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D047493:PPAR alpha; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014280:Triglycerides; D014315:Triterpenes; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
keywords: ABCA1; ATP binding cassette A1; Artesunate; Atherosclerosis; HDL; Hyperlipidemia; Inflammation; KLF2; LDLR; PPAR-α; SREBP1; Ursolic acid; VCAM-1; apoA-I; apolipoprotein A-I; high density lipoprotein; kruppel-like factor 2; low density lipoprotein receptor; peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors-α; sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1; vascular cell adhesion molecule-1