ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF Zuccagnia punctata EXTRACT HAS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS IN HYPERCHO- LESTEROLEMIC RABBITS

ROCO, J.; ALARCÓN, G.; ZAMPINI, CATIANA; ISLA, MARÍA INES; JEREZ, S.

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biociencias; 2017

The consumption of flavonoids has been shown to prevent cardio-vascular diseases (CD) including atherosclerosis. In turn, extractsfrom Zuccagnia punctata have demonstrated to be rich in flavonoids.Purpose: To study the effects of oral treatment with Z. punctata ex-tract (ZpE) on clinical parameters: lipid profile, oxidative stress sta-tus and vascular function in a rabbit model of hypercholesterolemia.Methods: Rabbits were separated in five groups: fed standard chowuntreated (CD) or treated with 2.5 mg GAE/day ZpE (CD-ZpE); fed1% cholesterol-enriched chow untreated (HD), treated with 2.5mg GAE/day ZpE (HD-ZpE) or with 2.5 mg Rosuvastatin (HD-R),during 6 weeks. Body weights (BW), mean blood pressure (MAP),heart rate (HR), visceral abdominal fat (VAF) were determined. Totalcholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), fasting glucose (FG), aspartateamino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), biliru-bin, creatinine, thiobarbituric acids reactive substances (TBARS)and glutathione reduced/oxidized index were measured in serum.Abdominal aorta was excised and vascular function was assessedby acetylcholine (Ach) relaxation and contractile response to nor-epinephrine (NE) and angiotensin II (Ang II). Results: ZpE reducedMAP [(mmHg) HD: 73±2; HD-ZpE: 48±2; HD-R: 50±5, p