title: Antiobesity, hypolipidemic, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Achyranthes aspera seed saponins in high cholesterol fed albino rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Numerous herbal medicines have been recommended for the treatment of different diseases. Achyranthes aspera, Linn. (Family: Amaranthaceae), popularly known as Charchitta or Pitpapra, is commonly used by traditional healers for the treatment of fever, malaria, dysentery, asthma, arterial hypertension, pneumonia, and diabetes. The root extract is well reputed for its insect molting hormonal activity. This investigation was conducted to evaluate the effects of saponins from Achyranthes aspera seeds on the serum lipid profile of albino rats fed a high cholesterol diet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hypolipidemic, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of these saponins were tested as described previously. To determine the mechanism underlying the observed effects, serum antioxidant status was assessed according to ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), superoxide dismutase and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays in saponin-treated hyperlipidemic animals. Liver enzyme levels were determined to reveal any possible hepatotoxicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four-week oral administration of A. aspera seed saponins produced a significant (p < 0.05) decrease of total cholesterol, total triglycerides and LDL-C and a significant increase of HDL-C level in hyperlipidemic rats. Treatment with A. aspera seed saponins also showed a significant (p < 0.01) improvement of serum antioxidant status in tested animals. No significant hepatotoxicity was produced by such treatment as the serum liver enzyme activity remained unaltered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Saponins from A. aspera seeds possess antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant properties which might lead to improvement of serum lipid profile and blood antioxidant status. Our findings support the folkloric use of this indigenous plant in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. However, its exact mechanism of action remains to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Naveed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Shoaib
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan; Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Barkat Ali
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center Federal, University of Paraiba, Paraiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valdir de Andrade
authors.initials: Vde A
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reich
keywords: ABTS; Achyranthes aspera; antioxidant; hepatoprotection; high cholesterol diet; hyperlipidemia