title: The Effect of Date Seed (Phoenix dactylifera) Extract on Paraoxonase and Arylesterase Activities in Hypercholesterolemic Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a high- density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme, displaying esterase and lactonase activity. The PON1 is involved in a variety of inflammatory diseases, metabolizing toxic oxidized lipids and detoxifying of organophosphorus insecticide compounds and nerve agents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of methanolic date seed extract (DSE) on paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in hypercholesterolemic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experiments were conducted in two groups of normal and hypercholesterolemic rats and continued for four weeks. Two weeks after receiving the normal and hypercholesterolemic diet, different dosages of DSE were administered during the last two weeks of the treatment. Blood samples were taken from animals before administration of DSE (at day 14) and at the end of the experimental period (at day 28). Paraoxonase and arylesterase activities of PON1 enzyme were assayed by kit using paraoxone and phenylacetate as the substrates. Relative changes in serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were compared between the two groups during this interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of DSE significantly increased serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in treated hypercholesterolemic groups compared to untreated ones. There was a significant difference in the TAOC of serum between the normal diet and hypercholesterolemic groups. However, DSE did not change the TAOC in hypercholesterolemic groups significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DSE increases serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities. These beneficial effects may be subjected to the presence of natural antioxidants such as phenolic compounds in the date seed. Despite this, DSE did not increase TAOC in treated hypercholesterolemic groups compared to the untreated ones based on ABTS (2,2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid) radical reduction assay. This indicates that the hypercholesterolemic diet, apart from DSE and atorvastatin effects, may be responsible for the serum TAOC reduction. However, it is concluded that DSE may be useful in decreasing the symptoms of diseases resulting from the low activity of paraoxonase.
authors.affiliation: Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Takaeidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Nanotechnology center, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jahangiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Khodayar
authors.affiliation: Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siahpoosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaghooti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaei
authors.affiliation: Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salecheh
authors.affiliation: Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mansourzadeh
keywords: Antioxidants; Aryldialkylphosphatase; Arylesterase; Rats