Evaluation of the anti-atherogenic potential of chrysin in Wistar rats.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
atherogenic diet | increase | serum lipid profile parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) | male, albino Wistar rats fed an atherogenic diet for 45 days and treated with saline | - | significantly higher mean levels | #1 |
atherogenic diet | decrease | high-density lipoprotein cholesterol | male, albino Wistar rats fed an atherogenic diet for 45 days and treated with saline | - | lower mean levels | #2 |
atherogenic diet | increase | hepatic marker enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase) | male, albino Wistar rats fed an atherogenic diet for 45 days and treated with saline | - | higher mean serum levels | #3 |
atherogenic diet | decrease | lipoprotein lipase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase | male, albino Wistar rats fed an atherogenic diet for 45 days and treated with saline | - | significantly lower mean hepatic levels | #4 |
atherogenic diet | decrease | antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione, and vitamins C and E) | male, albino Wistar rats fed an atherogenic diet for 45 days and treated with saline | - | significantly lower mean hepatic levels | #5 |
atherogenic diet | increase | hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) | male, albino Wistar rats fed an atherogenic diet for 45 days and treated with saline | - | significantly higher mean level | #6 |
chrysin | decrease | lipid profile parameters (except for HDL-cholesterol which was elevated) | atherogenic diet-fed rats that received chrysin orally (200 mg/kg b.wt) for 15 days | - | significantly lower mean serum levels | #7 |
chrysin | decrease | hepatic marker enzymes | atherogenic diet-fed rats that received chrysin orally (200 mg/kg b.wt) for 15 days | - | significantly lower mean serum levels | #8 |
chrysin | increase | LPL, HMG-CoA reductase | atherogenic diet-fed rats that received chrysin orally (200 mg/kg b.wt) for 15 days | - | significantly higher mean hepatic levels | #9 |
chrysin | increase | enzymatic, and non-enzymatic antioxidants | atherogenic diet-fed rats that received chrysin orally (200 mg/kg b.wt) for 15 days | - | significantly higher mean hepatic levels | #10 |
chrysin | decrease | hepatic MDA | atherogenic diet-fed rats that received chrysin orally (200 mg/kg b.wt) for 15 days | - | significantly lower mean levels | #11 |
chrysin | neutral | hepatic tissue and aorta | atherosclerotic rats | - | appeared to suggest the protective effect | #12 |
Hypercholesterolemia is one of the major risk factors that precipitate coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. Oxidative stress is believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of hypercholesterolemic atherosclerosis; hence, various antioxidant compounds are being evaluated for potential anti-atherogenic effects. In the present study, the putative anti-atherogenic and antioxidant efficacy of a flavonoid, chrysin, was evaluated in an experimental model of atherosclerosis. In male, albino Wistar rats fed an atherogenic diet for 45 days and treated with saline, significantly higher mean levels of serum lipid profile parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), lower mean levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher mean serum levels of hepatic marker enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase) were observed when compared with the levels in rats fed a control diet. In addition, significantly lower mean hepatic levels of lipoprotein lipase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione, and vitamins C and E), and a significantly higher mean level of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) were noted in comparison to the values in control rats. In atherogenic diet-fed rats that received chrysin orally (200 mg/kg b.wt) for 15 days, starting 30 days after the start of the atherogenic diet, significantly lower mean serum levels of lipid profile parameters (except for HDL-cholesterol which was elevated), hepatic marker enzymes, and significantly higher mean hepatic levels of LPL, HMG-CoA reductase, enzymatic, and non-enzymatic antioxidants and significantly lower mean levels of hepatic MDA were noted, compared to the values in atherogenic diet-fed, saline-treated rats. Histopathological studies appeared to suggest the protective effect of chrysin on the hepatic tissue and aorta of atherosclerotic rats. These results suggest that chrysin has anti-atherogenic potential in an experimental setting.