Cardioprotective role of FA against isoproterenol induced cardiac toxicity.

The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of ferulic acid (FA) against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac toxicity in rats. Isoproterenol challenged in a dose of 85 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) subcutaneously for two consecutive days in the experimental group resulted in acute cardiac toxicity as evidenced by changes in electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern and marked elevation of serum cardiac enzymes viz aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), creatinine kinase (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) also increases inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, acute toxicity effect was exhibited by disturbance in the antioxidant system as decrease in activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) with the rise in activities of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO). Pre-treatment with FA at the increasing dose of (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg b.w.) orally for 28 consecutive days followed by isoproterenol injection for 2 days significantly attenuated changes in serum cardiac enzymes. Furthermore, histopathological evaluation confirmed the restoration of cellular architecture in FA pretreated rats. The cardioprotective effect of FA was comparable with standard drug treatment metoprolol. Taken together, FA demonstrated cardioprotective effect against ISO-induced cardiac toxicity by normalization of serum cardiac biomarkers, alleviating oxidative stress and augmenting endogenous antioxidant system.

Isolation, characterization and hypolipidemic activity of ferulic acid in high-fat-diet-induced hyperlipidemia in laboratory rats.

Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce (Leguminosae) (syn. Prosopis spicigera L.) has antidiabetic and antioxidant potential. Earlier we reported its hypolipidemic activity obtained from ethanol extract (ET-PCF). Object of this work was to isolate ferulic acid (FA) from ET-PCF and evaluate hypolipidemic activity against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic laboratory rats. ET-PCF was subjected to flash column chromatography to isolate FA. The chemical structure of the isolated compound was elucidated by UV, IR, 1H NMR,13C NMR and LC-MS. Further, the antihyperlipidemic effect of FA (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, p.o.) in HFD-induced hyperlipidemic rats was investigated. Hyperlipidemia was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by feeding with HFD for 60 days. Lipid parameters such as total cholesterol (TC), Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) levels were measured in serum and hepatic tissue. Hepatic oxido-nitrosative stress (SOD, GSH, MDA and NO) were also determined. Histological evaluation of liver tissue was carried out. The structure of the isolated compound was characterized based on spectral data and confirmed as FA. HFD induced an alteration in serum, and hepatic lipid profile (triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL, and LDL) was significantly restored (p < 0.001) by administration of FA (20 and 40 mg/kg, p.o.). The elevated level of oxido-nitrosative stress in liver was significantly reduced (p < 0.001) by FA (20 and 40 mg/kg, p.o.). Histological aberration induced in the liver after HFD ingestion were restored by FA administration. Ferulic acid isolated from ET-PCF showed hypolipidemic effects in HFD-induced hyperlipidemic rats via modulation of elevated oxido-nitrosative stress.

Hypolipidemic activity of Moringa oleifera Lam., Moringaceae, on high fat diet induced hyperlipidemia in albino rats / Atividade hipolipidemica de Moringa oleifera Lam., Moringaceae, na hiperlipidemia induzida por dieta rica em gordura em ratos albinos

The leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam., Moringaceae, are used by the Indians in their herbal medicine as a hypolipidemic agent in obese patients. Albino Wistar rats were fed with methanolic extract of M. oleifera (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) and simvastatin (4 mg/kg, p.o.) along with hyperlipidemic diet for 30 days. Moringa oleifera and simvastatin were found to lower the serum cholesterol, triacylglyceride, VLDL, LDL, and atherogenic index, but were found to increase the HDL as compared to the corresponding high fed cholesterol diet group (control). The Moringa oleifera methanolic extract was also investigated for its mechanism of action by estimating HMG CO-A reductase activity. Moringa oleifera was found to increase the excretion of fecal cholesterol. Thus, the study demonstrates that M. oleifera possesses a hypolipidemic effect.

As folhas de Moringa oleifera Lam., Moringaceae, são usados na medicina natural da Índia como um agente hipolipemiante em pacientes obesos. Ratos albinos Wistar foram alimentados com extrato metanólico de M. oleifera (150, 300 e 600 mg/kg, p.o.) e sinvastatina (4 mg/kg, p.o.), juntamente com dieta hiperlipídica por 30 dias. Moringa oleifera e sinvastatina reduziram o colesterol, triacilglicerídeoss, VLDL, LDL e índice aterogênico, mas não aumentaram o HDL em comparação com o grupo controle, com dieta rica em colesterol. O mecanismo de ação do extrato metanólico de Moringa oleifera foi também investigado estimando atividade de HMG CO-A redutase. Moringa oleifera aumentou a excreção fecal de colesterol. Assim, o estudo demonstra que a M. oleifera parece ter efeito hipolipemiante.