Oral administration of Zuccagnia punctata extract improves lipid profile, reduces oxidative stress and prevents vascular dysfunction in hypercholesterolemic rabbits

ROCO, JULIETA; ALARCON, GABRIELA; MEDINA, MIRTA; ZAMPINI, CATIANA; ISLA, MARÍA INES; JEREZ, SUSANA

PHYTOMEDICINE

ELSEVIER GMBH

Año: 2018

0944-7113

Background: The consumption of flavonoids has been shown to prevent cardiovascular diseasesincluding atherosclerosis. In this sense, in a recent in vitro study we demonstrated that a rich inflavonoids extract from Zuccagnia punctata has beneficial effects on vascular function in aortafrom hypercholesterolemic rabbits.Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of a hydroalcoholic extract fromZ.puncata (ZpE) to prevent alterations induced by high cholesterol diet in rabbits.Methods: The major components of the ZpE, flavonoids, were analyzed by using a validatedreversed phase HPLC method. Rabbits were separated in five groups: fed standard chow (CD); CDorally administrated 2.5 mg, 5 mg or 10 mg GAE/day ZpE (ZpE- CD); fed 1% cholesterol-enrichedchow (HD); HD orally administrated 2.5 mg GAE/day ZpE (ZpE-HD); HD orally administrated 2.5mg rosuvastatin/day (Ro-HD). All diets were administrated by 6 weeks. Body weights (BW), meanblood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), visceral abdominal fat (VAF), organ weight (heart, kidney,liver) and vascular morphology were determined. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), fastingglucose (FG), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), bilirubin,creatinine, thiobarbituric acids reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione reduced/oxidizedindex were measured in serum. Abdominal aorta was excised and vascular function was assessed byacetylcholine and sodium nitroprusiate relaxation and contractile response to norepinephrine andangiotensin II.Results: The major compounds of ZpE identified were chalcones: 2′,4′-dihydroxy-3′-methoxychalcone and 2′,4′-dihydroxychalcone. Oral treatment with ZpE reduced MAP, TC, TG,TBARS, aortic intima/media ratio and increased glutathione reduced/oxidized index in HD rabbits.No differences were found in AST, ALT, bilirubin or creatinine. Acetylcholine relaxation wasnormalized and contractile response to norepinephrine and angiotensin II was reduced in ZpE-HD.Conclusion: Oral administration of ZpE as natural product in the prevention of cardiovasculardisease related with hypercholesterolemia and endothelial dysfunction is very promising.