Effect of Cydonia oblonga Mill. leaf extract on serum lipids and liver function in a rat model of hyperlipidaemia

J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Feb 3;151(2):970-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.12.010. Epub 2013 Dec 14.

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Cydonia oblonga Mill. leaves are traditionally used in Uyghur medicine to treat or prevent cardiovascular disease. Beyond a demonstrated effect on thrombosis, we tested it for an effect on dyslipidemia, in a rat model of hyperlipidemia.

Methods: Seventy healthy Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal controls, model controls, simvastatin, and low-, medium- and high-dose Cydonia oblonga Mill. leaf extracts (COM), orally for 56 days. The normal controls were fed a normal diet, all other groups a high fat diet. Rat weights were recorded over time. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low and high-density lipoproteins (LDL, HDL), as well as AST, ALT and total protein (TP) were measured in serum at the end of the study. The antioxidant capacity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured in liver samples, along with lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and hepatic lipase (HL). Liver pathology was described.

Results: COM dose-dependently reduced TC, TG, LDL-C and MDA, inhibited the activity of ALT, AST and LPS, increased HDL-C content, increased the activity of SOD, GSH-PX, LPL and HL, and reduced liver steatosis in hyperlipidaemia rats, which was significant at medium and high doses. The effect of COM was similar to that of simvastatin except for increased LPL and HL which were reduced by COM but not by simvastatin.

Conclusion: Cydonia oblonga Mill. leaf extracts have hypolipidaemic and hepatoprotective effects, probably related to increasing antioxidant capacity and lipoprotein metabolism in the liver, and inhibition of lipogenesis.

Keywords: ALT; AST; Antioxidant; COM; Cydonia oblonga Mill.; Cydonia oblonga Mill. leaf extract; GSH-PX; HDL-C; HL; Hypercholesterolemia; Hyperlipidaemia; Hypolipidemic effect; LDL-C; LPL; LPS; MDA; SOD; TC; TG; TP; Traditional Uyghur medicine; alanine transaminase; aspartate transaminase; glutathione peroxidase; hepatic lipase; high density lipoprotein cholesterol; lipase; lipoprotein lipase; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; malondialdehyde; superoxide dismutase; total cholesterol; total protein; triglycerides.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Animals
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Female
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Hyperlipidemias / drug therapy
  • Hyperlipidemias / metabolism*
  • Hyperlipidemias / pathology
  • Hypolipidemic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Hypolipidemic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Lipid Metabolism / drug effects*
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Plant Leaves
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Rosaceae*
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism

Substances

  • Hypolipidemic Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Glutathione Peroxidase
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase