ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the weight losing, antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective effects of the alkaloid fraction of Hunteria umbellata (H. umbellata) seed. METHODS: Adult female Wistar rats (weight range: 120-150 g) were randomly divided into 4 and 5 treatment groups in the normal and triton-induced hyperlipidemic models, respectively. and were daily treated for 14 d before they were humanely sacrificed under inhaled diethyl ether anesthesia. About 5 mL of whole blood was obtained by cardiac puncture from each treated rat, from which serum for lipids assay was subsequently separated. Tissue samples of livers of treated rats were harvested and processed for histopathological analysis. RESULTS: Repeated daily oral treatments of normal rats with 25 and 50 mg/kg/day of alkaloid fraction of H. umbellata resulted in significant (P<0.05 and P<0.001) and dose-dependent weight loss, and decreases in the serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, while significantly (P<0.001) increased the serum levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol fraction. Similarly, oral pre-treatments with 25 and 50 mg/kg/day of alkaloid fraction of H. umbellata for 14 d before induction of hyperlipidemia with triton WR-1339 significantly (P<0.01, P<0.001) and dose-dependently attenuated increases in the average body weights, serum levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol while also significantly (P<0.01, P<0.001) and dose-dependently attenuated significant (P<0.001) decrease in the serum high-density lipoproteincholesterol levels when compared to the untreated control values. However, the results obtained for 50 mg/kg of alkaloid fraction of H. umbellata in both normal and triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipidemic rats were comparable to that recorded for 20 mg/kg of simvastatin. Similarly, oral pretreatments with 25 and 50 mg/kg/day of alkaloid fraction of H. umbellata significantly improved the histological lesions of fatty hepatic degeneration induced by triton WR-1339 treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results of this study showed that repeated oral treatments with 25 and 50 mg/kg/day of alkaloid fraction of H. umbellata elicited weight losing, antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective effects in triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipidemic rats that were mediated via de novo cholesterol biosynthesis inhibition.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the adscription of plasma effective constituents of rat after oral administration of alkaloid fraction of Nelumbo nucifera.Methods: Based on the established HPLC analytical method of plasma effective constituents,analysis and comparison were carried out among HPLC profi les of plasma samples obtained after oral administration of alkaloid fraction of Nelumbo nucifera,blank plasma,alkaloid fraction of Nelumbo nucifera.Results: Sixteen compounds were detected under the method,three of them were architypes of compound contained in alkaloid fraction of Nelumbo nucifera,and the others were metabolites.Through the comparison of the UV spectra,seven metabolites remain essential structure because the max wavelength was same to the architypes’,the other six metabolites’ structure changed greatly.Conclusion: Through the study of the adscription of plasma effective constituents of rat after oral administration of alkaloid fraction of Nelumbo nucifera,the structure of metabolites can be conjectured,which may be helpful to study the ADME and mechanism of action.
ABSTRACT
Hypotensive effects of rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, total alkaloid and non-alka-loid fraction isolated from Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Jacks. were compared. Change in peripheralblood pressure was recorded by inserting a catheter into the right common carotid artery of anaethetizedrat, while each of the four hypotensive constituents was injected individually into the femoral vein by a mi-croinfusion pump. Results of the findings showed that the four constituents in U. rhynchophylla displayeddifferent hypotensive potency in the order of isorhynchophylline [lowering of mean arterial pressure(MAP) by 42.0%] > rhynchophylline (lowering of MAP by 32.1%) > total alkaloid (lowering of MAPby 21.3%) > non-alkaloid fraction (lowering of MAP by 12.4%). It was concluded that isorhyn-chophylline and rhynchophylline were the main hypotensive constituents in U. rhynchophylla.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of alkaloid fraction from Korean ginseng on radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks(dsb) formation and repair in murine lymphocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the neutral filter elution technique to assay 60 Co gamma ray-induced DNA double strand breaks formation and repair in C57BL/6 mouse spleen lymphocytes for evaluation the dose-response relationship in the presence of alkaloid fraction as a radioprotective agent. The lymphocytes were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA, 2 mug/ml) to label 3 [H]-thymidine. Isotope-labelled lymphocytes in suspension were exposed to 100 Gy at 0degree C in the alkaloid fraction-treated group and elution procedure was performed at pH 9.6. The extents of formation of radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks and repair were compared respectively via strand scission factor (SSF) and relative strand scission factor (RSSF). RESULTS: Alkaloid fraction reduced the formation of double strand breaks with dose modification factor of 2.15, compared to control group. Rejoining of DNA dsb appeared to take place via two components. The first fast component was completed within 20.4 minutes, but the second slow component was not completed until 220.2 minutes after irradiation. About 30% of dsb formed by irradiation was ultimately unrejoined despite the administration of alkaloid fraction. The administration of alakaloid fraction had a great effect on the second slow component of repair ; the half-time of fast component repair was not changed, but that of slow component was 621.8 minutes. CONCLUSION: Neutral filter elution assay proved to be a very effective method to quantitate the extents of DNA dsb formation and its repair. By using this technique, we were able to evaluate the efficiency of alkaloid fraction from Korean ginseng as a valuable radioprotector. Alkaloid fraction can be used prophylactically to prevent or ameliorate the severe radiation damages in workers and neighbors aound the atomic power plants. For more refined study, however, more advanced purification of alkaloid fraction will be neended in the near future.