title: Protective effects of Arctium lappa L. root extracts (AREs) on high fat diet induced quail atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of Arctium lappa L. root extracts (AREs) from different extraction methods (aqueous, ethanol, chloroform and flavone) on atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quails (Coturnix coturnix) were subjected to high fat diet, with or without one of the four different AREs or positive control simvastatin. Blood samples were collected before treatment, after 4.5 weeks or ten weeks to assess lipid profile (Levels of total cholesterol (TC), Triacylglycerol (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)). After ten weeks, the serum levels of nitric oxide (NO) as well as antioxidant and pro-oxidative status (Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)) were measured. Furthermore, aortas were collected after ten weeks treatment, aorta lipid contents (TC, TG and LDL) were assessed, and histology was used to confirm atherosclerotic changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that high fat diet significantly deteriorated lipid profile and antioxidant status in quail serum, while all the extracts significantly reverted the changes similar to simvastatin. Aorta lipid profile assessment revealed similar results. Histology on aortas from quails treated for ten weeks confirmed atherosclerotic changes in high fat diet group, while the extracts significantly alleviated the atherosclerotic changes similar to simvastatin. Among the different extracts, flavones fraction exerted best protective effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that the protective effects of AREs were medicated via hypolipidemic and anti-oxidant effects. Underlying molecular mechanisms are under investigation.
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Chenjing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University Medical College, Boya Building Room 422, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Qixiao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University Medical College, Boya Building Room 422, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University Medical College, Boya Building Room 422, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Weizhen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University Medical College, Boya Building Room 422, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China. cbwang666@126.com.
authors.forename: Chunbo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D031170:Arctium / Q000737:chemistry*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003370:Coturnix; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008074:Lipoproteins; D020011:Protective Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide