title: Antiatherogenic Effect of Camellia japonica Fruit Extract in High Fat Diet-Fed Rats.
abstract: Hypercholesterolemia is a well-known etiological factor for cardiovascular disease and a common symptom of most types of metabolic disorders. Camellia japonica is a traditional garden plant, and its flower and seed have been used as a base oil of traditional cosmetics in East Asia. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of C. japonica fruit extracts (CJF) in a high fat diet- (HFD-) induced hypercholesterolemic rat model. CJF was administered orally at three different doses: 100, 400, and 800 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) (CJF 100, 400, and 800, resp.). Our results showed that CJF possessed strong cholesterol-lowering potency as indicated by the decrease in serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), accompanied by an increase in serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Furthermore, CJF reduced serum lipid peroxidation by suppressing the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance. In addition, oil red O (ORO) staining of rat arteries showed decreased lipid-positive staining in the CJF-treated groups compared to the control HFD group. Taken together, these results suggest that CJF could be a potent herbal therapeutic option and source of a functional food for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and other diseases associated with hypercholesterolemia.
authors.affiliation: UMR CNRS 7213, Laboratoire de Biophotonique et Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67400 Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Hyun-Ho
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Medicine Resources, Mokpo National University, Muan-gun, Jeonnam 58554, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Keshav Raj
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Paudel
authors.affiliation: Jeonnam Forest Resources Research Institute, Naju, Jeonnam 58213, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jieun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Jeonnam Forest Resources Research Institute, Naju, Jeonnam 58213, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: An-Jin
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wi
authors.affiliation: Jeonnam Forest Resources Research Institute, Naju, Jeonnam 58213, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Whoa-Shig
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Medicine Resources, Mokpo National University, Muan-gun, Jeonnam 58554, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Natural Medicine Research Institute, Mokpo National University, Muan-gun, Jeonnam 58554, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Ho
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5584-1702
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Oak