Effect of silymarin and its polyphenolic fraction on cholesterol absorption in rats.

This study evaluated the influence of silymarin (SM) and polyphenolic fraction (PF) of silymarin on cholesterol absorption in rats fed on high cholesterol diet (HCD). HCD induced a remarkable increase in hepatic, plasma, VLDL and LDL cholesterol, a decrease in HDL cholesterol and an elevation in triacylglycerol (TAG) levels in plasma, VLDL and in the liver. SM and PF were administered as dietary supplements (1.0%) in HCD for 18 days. Intestinal cholesterol absorption was measured by dual-isotope plasma ratio method, which calculates percent of cholesterol absorption from the ratio of two labelled cholesterol doses, one given intragastrically (14C) and one intravenously (3H). Silymarin and PF significantly reduced cholesterol absorption in rats fed on HCD and caused significant decreases in plasma and VLDL cholesterol and content of cholesterol and TAG in the liver. The level of HDL cholesterol was significantly increased after silymarin, but not after administration of PF. The levels of TAG in plasma and VLDL were not affected by either silymarin or PF. These results suggest that the inhibition of cholesterol absorption caused by silymarin and its polyphenolic fraction could be a mechanism contributing to the positive changes in plasma cholesterol lipoprotein profile and in lipid content in liver.

Treatment of chronic cough in children with montelukast,a leukotriene receptor antagonist.

Twenty-two children (13 boys and 9 girls) with chronic cough were treated with the leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast (Singulair tbl. 5 mg) administered once daily for four weeks. In 14 children (68%), the cough ceased during the third week of treatment. Children responding to montelukast were found to have higher blood levels of eosinophil cationic protein (S-ECP) in the pretreatment blood sample than children with no response (responders 14.88+/-2.651 microg/l versus nonresponders 6.62+/-0.948 microg/l; p<0.01). Blood S-ECP levels remained higher also in the post-treatment blood sample in responders (10.55+/-1.631 microg/l) compared to nonresponders (6.13+/-0.937 microg/l; p<0.05). The difference is statistically significant. There were also differences in absolute eosinophil blood count and IgE blood levels between the two groups in the pretreatment blood sample. Using 24-hour pH-metry, two children not responding to therapy were subsequently diagnosed to have gastroesophageal reflux. Judging from the results, one might deduct that patients with chronic cough who have increased levels of serum ECP and absolute eosinophil blood counts are likely to benefit from treatment with montelukast.

Phenolics-rich extracts from Silybum marianum and Prunella vulgaris reduce a high-sucrose diet induced oxidative stress in hereditary hypertriglyceridemic rats.

The study tested the effects of phenolics-rich extracts from the plants Silybum marianum (silymarin) and Prunella vulgaris (PVE) on blood and liver antioxidant status and lipoprotein metabolism. Hereditary hypertriglyceridemic rats fed on standard diet (STD) or high-sucrose diet (HSD, 70cal% of sucrose) for two weeks were used. HSD doubled plasma and liver triacylglycerol (TAG) and increased plasma VLDL-TAG and VLDL-cholesterol compared to STD. Administration of silymarin or PVE as 1% dietary supplements in HSD did not influence lipid levels in plasma or liver, but both extracts caused decrease in plasma VLDL-cholesterol levels. HSD-induced oxidative stress was manifested in increased TBARS and conjugated dienes (CD) content, decreased GSH levels and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in blood and liver. In blood the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased, whereas in liver the activity of catalase increased after HSD. Feeding on HSD containing phenolics-rich extracts resulted in reduction of TBARS and CD content and in increase of blood GPX activity and elevated GSH content in liver. Besides, silymarin increased the activity of SOD and level of GSH in blood. Catalase activity in blood or liver was not influenced by the presence of plant extracts in the diet. These results indicate that silymarin and PVE improve antioxidant status in blood and liver and positively affect plasma lipoprotein profile in an experimental model of dietary induced hypertriglyceridemia.