Effects of aqueous extracts of medicinal plants on hypercholesterolemic ApoE-deficient mice (APOE-/-).

QUESADA I; CEJAS J; DEPAOLA M; ALFONSO J; HAPON MB; GAMARRA LUQUES C; CASTRO C

Mar del Plata

Congreso; . LXII Reunión Científica de la Sociedad Argentina para la Investigación Clínica (SAIC).; 2017

Sociedad Argentina para la Investigación Clínica (SAIC).

Abstract: The use of herbals in the treatment of disease is a well established practice in traditional medicine. Tessaria absinthioides (Ta) and Prosopis strombulifera (Ps) are native plants from South-America with reported ethnopharmacological uses. Despite recent scientific reports about plant derived compounds identification and activities, there is not a well conducted research about its effects on cardiovascular disease. The present study evaluates the efficacy of aqueous extract of Ta or Ps on genetically hypercholesterolemic ApoE-deficient mice (ApoE -/-), an experimental atherosclerosis animal model. ApoE-/- mice were treated with Ta and Ps in their drinking water (300 and 150mg/kg/day, respectively, for eight weeks) and compared to age-matched controls, (C). Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture to determine, cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and blood glucose. Atheroma plaques in aortas were measured with Oil Red staining. The administration of Ta or Ps in ApoE-/- mice significantly reduced TG levels compared to control mice (P < 0.05), and Ta treatment significantly reduced blood glucose levels when compared with control group (247.3± 17.6 vs 150.6 ± 17.5 P < 0.02). None of the herbal extract studied had significant effect on the levels of cholesterol. Histopathological findings revealed that atheromatous plaques was significantly diminished in ApoE -/- mice by the treatment with both Ta or Ps. In conclusion, our results shown that consumption of aqueous extracts of Ta and Ps may have beneficial effects on metabolic parameters and atherogenesis. Further studies are needed to understand the molecular mechanisms of action of these medicinal plants.Keywords: HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA, ATHEROSCLEROSIS, HERBAL MEDICINE