title: Hypolipidemic, antioxidant and anti-atherosclerogenic effect of aqueous extract leaves of Cassia. occidentalis Linn (Caesalpiniaceae) in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress are major risk factors for atherosclerosis, and all three are among the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Cassia occidentalis aqueous extract has been used in African traditional medicine for the treatment of hypertension and associated cardiovascular diseases. This study was undertaken to evaluate the hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic properties of the aqueous extract of the leaves of C. occidentalis in rats with hypercholesterolemia (HC). Sixty Normocholesterolemic (NC) male rats were divided into six groups (n = 10) and fed a high-cholesterol (HC) diet for 30 days (5 groups), or normal rat chow (normal control group). The plant extract was administered to animals at the increasing dose of 240, 320 and 400 mg/kg. After 4 weeks of treatment 5 rats out of 10 were sacrificed, blood samples, aorta, liver, and fresh faecal were collected and processed for biochemical tests. The experiments were conducted under the same conditions with a group of rat treated with Atorvastatin (1 mg/kg), used positive control. The effects of C. occidentalis on weight gain, water and food consumptions, levels of serum lipids and lipoprotein lipid oxidation and stress markers in blood and liver were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant body weight gain was observed in general in all the group of animals without any treatment after 4 weeks. During the treatment period, the C. occidentalis extract induced a significant increase (P < 0.01) in water consumption and food intakes. After 4 weeks of treatment with hypercholesterolemia, the body temperature and organ weights including the liver, kidney, heart and the testis did not present any significant change. The administration of C. occidentalis extract significantly (p < 0.05) prevented the elevation in TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C, hepatic and aortic TG and TC. The atherogenic, triglycerides, and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) index were also decreased in the rats treated with the plant extract. C. occidentalis favoured the performance of faecal cholesterol. It also significantly inhibited the changes and the formation of aortic atherosclerotic plaques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence of hypolipidemic and antiatherosclerotic effects of C. occidentalis extract. C. occidenntalis aqueous extract reduced bad cholesterols, triglycerides and increasing good cholesterols in rats subjected to a feeding regime enriched with cholesterol. The results support the traditional use of the extract of this plant in the treatment of hypertension and diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon. ntchapda71@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Ntchapda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fidèle
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Barama
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Talla
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Emmanuel
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Dimo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Théophile
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000517:prevention & control; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029846:Senna Plant; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Anti-atherosclerotic; Cassia occidentalis; Hypolipidemic; Lipid peroxidation TBARs