Crude Ethanol Extract of Pithecellobium ellipticum as a Potential Lipid-Lowering Treatment for Hypercholesterolaemia.
If left untreated, hypercholesterolaemia can lead to atherosclerosis, given time. Plants from the Fabaceae family have shown the ability to significantly suppress atherosclerosis progression. We selected four extracts from Pithecellobium ellipticum, from the Fabaceae family, to be screened in a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) assay. The ethanol extract, at a concentration of 500  μ g/mL, exhibited superior inhibition properties over the other extracts by demonstrating 80.9% inhibition, while 0.223  μ g/mL of pravastatin (control) showed 78.1% inhibition towards enzymatic activity. These findings led to the fractionation of the ethanol extract using ethyl acetate : methanol (95 : 5), gradually increasing polarity and produced seven fractions (1A to 7A). Fraction 7A at 150  μ g/mL emerged as being the most promising bioactive fraction with 78.7% inhibition. FRAP, beta carotene, and DPPH assays supported the findings from the ethanol extract as it exhibited good overall antioxidant activity. The antioxidant properties have been said to reduce free radicals that are able to oxidize lipoproteins which are the cause of atherosclerosis. Phytochemical screenings revealed the presence of terpenoid, steroid, flavonoid, and phenolic compounds as the responsible group of compound(s), working individually or synergistically, within the extract to prevent binding of HMG-CoA to HMG-CoA reductase.
Center for Natural and Medicinal Products Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
Janet P-C
JP
Wong
Center for Natural and Medicinal Products Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
Sumi
S
Wijaya
School of Biomedical, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
Kang-Nee
KN
Ting
Center for Natural and Medicinal Products Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
Christophe
C
Wiart
Faculty of Chemistry, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Jalan Sultan Mahmud, 20400 Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.
Kamarul'Ain
K
Mustafa
Center for Natural and Medicinal Products Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
Fiona
F
Shipton
Center for Natural and Medicinal Products Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.
Teng-Jin
TJ
Khoo