Antihyperlipidemic effect of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja extract and inhibition of apolipoprotein B48 overproduction in hyperlipidemic mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cyclocarya paliurus (CP) Batal., the sole species in its genus, is a native plant to China. As a traditional Chinese folk medicine, the tree leaves have been widely used for the treatment of metabolic disorders, including hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study aimed to evaluate the antihyperlipidemic effect of CP ethanol extract, as well as its inhibitory activity on apolipoproteinB48 (apoB48), in normal and hyperlipidemic mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The antihyperlipidemic effect of CP was evaluated in hyperlipidemic mice induced by high-fat diet for 4 weeks. CP ethanol extract (0.37, 0.75 and 1.5g/kg/day) was orally administrated once daily. Lipids and antioxidant profiles, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), together with the indices of hepatic and renal functions were examined. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to analysis the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), total- and triglyceride-rich apoB48 (TRL-apoB48), as well as the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activatein kinase (MAPK).

RESULTS

CP as well as simvastatin remarkably lowered the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and MDA, and at the same time, elevated the HDL-C, SOD and GSH-Px in high-fat diet mice. It also decreased the serum concentration of total- and TRL-apoB48 in the fasting state. CP inhibited TNF-α expression and phosphorylation level of MAPK. Furthermore, the HE staining of liver and kidney, together with hepatic and renal function analysis showed hepato- and renoprotective activities of CP.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that CP possesses beneficial potentials for use in treating hyperlipidemia and the underlying lipid-lowering mechanism might associate with a down-regulation of the intestinal-associated lipoprotein apoB48, which may provide evidence about its practical application for treating hyperlipidemia and its complications.