In vitro screening for antihyperlipidemic activities in foodstuffs by evaluating lipoprotein profiles secreted from human hepatoma cells.

We screened the antihyperlipidemic effects of seven edible plants by evaluation of the triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol profiles secreted from HepG2 cells. We found that the water- and ethanol-extracts of Brasenia schreberi at 100 µg/ml exhibited strong inhibitory activities against TG and cholesterol secretions from HepG2 cells stimulated with sodium oleate. Real-time RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that ethanol extract of B. schreberi (BSET) attenuated the expression of the sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c and -2, fatty acid synthase and HMG CoA synthase-1 genes, which are involved in lipid synthesis in hepatocyte/hepatoma cells. Furthermore, we studied the action of BSET on adipose tissue accumulation and serum parameters in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). BSET suppressed mesenteric and epididymal adipose tissue accumulation and normalized serum TG and glucose, but not cholesterol levels in HFD-fed mice.