The Enriched Proanthocyanidin Extract of Ligaria cuneifolia Shows a Marked Hypocholesterolemic Effect in Rats Fed with Cholesterol-Enriched Diet

JOSÉ GONZÁLVEZ; ALICIA DOMINIGHINI; MARÍA T. RONCO; GLORIA GARCÍA; CRISTINA CARNOVALE; LEDA URLI; DANIEL FRANCÉS; ALEJANDRA LUQUITA; SEBASTIÁN GALLIANO; JUAN MONTI; MARCELO WAGNER

Recent Patents on Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Drug Discovery

Bentham Science

Año: 2018 vol. 11 p. 47 - 53

1872-2148

Ligariacuneifolia (Lc) (R. et P.) Tiegh. (Loranthaceae) (Argentine mistletoe) isusually used in local folk medicine.OBJECTIVE:Westudied the effect of treatment with the Lc proanthocyanidin-enriched fraction(PLc) in rats fed with Cho-enriched diet on plasma Cho levels, thehemorheological parameters, and biliary secretion.METHOD: Adultmale Wistar rats were fed ad libitum with a Cho-enriched diet (Cho (97% purity)8 g/kg of diet and corn oil 280 g/kg of diet) during 28 days. Then, wereseparated in six experimental groups (n=5 each one), which were injected ipevery 24 h with: 1) saline solution (control group, C) and 2) PLc, 3 mg/100 gbody weight (treated group, C+PLc), during 3, 7 and 10 days. Group C presentedan increase in plasma levels of Cho and Triglycerides (TG), and also,accumulation of hepatic lipid droplets. Also, cell shape and their correspondingmorphological index (MI) were altered too.RESULTS: Thetreatment with PLc at 3, 7 and 10 days produces a diminution in the plasma Cho,LDL-Cho and serum TG levels, accompanied by a diminution of the lipidaccumulation in the liver. The rates of bile acid output in bile can to explainthe diminution of plasma Cho, evidencing that some of the enzymes involved inthe cholesterol conversion to bile acids, could be up regulated by thetreatment with PLc, leading to the observed increase bile flow. PLc treatmentleads to a diminution of plasma.CONCLUSION:Essentially,the treatment with PLc, despite the duration produces a modification inhemorheological parameters approaching the values of the experimental groupwith standard diet. Further work is necessary to better evaluate the mechanismsby which PLc induces modifications in the lipids metabolism.