Effect of combination of edible oils on blood pressure, lipid profile, lipid peroxidative markers, antioxidant status, and electrolytes in patients with hypertension on nifedipine treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of combination of edible oils on blood pressure, anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, lipid peroxidative markers, antioxidant status and electrolytes in drug (nifedipine) taking patients with hypertension. METHODS: In this study, patients were separated into 4 groups. Normal (n=14), hypertensive patients (n=38), 38 patients under medication with nifedipine were divided into 2 groups nifedipine control (n=12) and nifedipine + oil combination (sesame + sunflower oil) groups (n=26). Sesame and sunflower oil combination was supplied to patients and instructed to use it as the only oil source for 45 days. Blood pressure and anthropometric parameters were measured at baseline and after 45 days. Lipid peroxidative markers, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, lipid profile and electrolytes in blood were also measured. The study took place at Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, India between January 2005 and December 2008. RESULTS: Nifedipine and oil-mix consumed patients significantly decreased the blood pressure, lipid peroxidative markers, lipid profile excluding the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), sodium, chloride, and increased enzymatic, non-enzymatic antioxidants, HDL-C and potassium levels when compared to nifedipine alone treated hypertensive patients. CONCLUSION: Nifedipine and oil-mix provided good protection over blood pressure and lipid peroxidation, and brought enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, lipid profile, and electrolytes towards normalcy in hypertensive patients.

Effect of chrysin on hepatoprotective and antioxidant status in D-galactosamine-induced hepatitis in rats.

Chrysin is a natural, biologically active compound present in many plants and possesses potent anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidation properties. This work was designed to investigate the effect of chrysin, on the hepatoprotective efficacy in d-galactosamine-intoxication rats. d-galactosamine-induced toxicity was manifested by the elevation of serum hepatic marker enzyme activities (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) and the lipid peroxidation process and by decreasing the antioxidant capacity of the plasma, erythrocyte and tissues. Treatment with chrysin (25, 50 and 100mg/kg body weight) decreased hepatic marker enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation products such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, lipid hydroperoxides and conjugated dienes, increased the activities of free-radical scavenging enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase and the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants reduced glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E. These findings demonstrate that chrysin acts as a hepatoprotective and antioxidant agent against d-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity.

Hypolipidemic activity of 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Diabetes mellitus is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular complications. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid on plasma glucose and plasma and tissue lipid profiles in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in adult male albino rats of the Wistar strain, weighing 180-200 g, by administration of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg of body weight) intraperitoneally. Rats were randomly divided into seven groups. Group I: control animals (normal, nondiabetic animals), Group II: 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid control, Group III: streptozotocin-diabetic, untreated animals; Groups IV, V and VI: streptozotocin-diabetic animals given 50, 100 and 200 mg 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, and Group VII: streptozotocin-diabetic animals given glibenclamide. The levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids, were assayed in the plasma besides lipoprotein-cholesterol (high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C)) and tissues (liver, kidney and heart). Total cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid, and phospholipid (LDL-C and VLDL-C in plasma only) levels increased in plasma and tissues significantly, while plasma HDL-cholesterol significantly decreased in diabetic rats. Treatment with 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid prevented the above changes and improved towards normalcy. Thus administration of 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid is able to reduce hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia related to the risk of diabetes mellitus.

Antihyperglycemic effect of 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, aglycone of glycyrrhizin, on streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

The study was designed to investigate the antihyperglycemic effect of 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, aglycone of glycyrrhizin, on streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in adult male albino rats of the Wistar strain, weighing 180-200 g, by administration of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg of body weight) intraperitoneally. Diabetic rats showed increase of plasma glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) and a decrease of plasma insulin and haemoglobin (Hb). Activities of gluconeogenic enzymes such as glucose 6-phosphatase, fructose 1, 6-bisphosphatase increased and glucokinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased in the liver along with glycogen. Oral administration of 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg/body weight) or glibenclamide (600 microg/kg/body weight) in 5% dimethyl sulfoxide, for 45 days, prevented the above changes and improved towards normalcy. No significant effect was observed in normal rats treated with 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid (200 mg/kg/body weight). Thus, our results show that 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid at 100 mg/kg of body weight possesses a potential antihyperglycemic effect that is comparable with glibenclamide.