Effect of hypocholesterolemic agents of plant origin on catecholamine biosynthesis in normal and cholesterol fed rabbits.

The effect of lipid lowering agents of plant origin garlic oil and guggulipid on the levels of catecholamine and dopamine ß-hydroxylase activity of normal and cholesterol fed rabbit tissues has been studied. The catecholamine levels and enzyme activity were found to be decreased in cholesterol (500 mg/kg body wt) fed animals. The feeding of garlic oil (5 mg/kg body wt) and guggulipid (100 mg/kg body wt) an exudate of Commiphora mukul, to normal rabbits caused significant increase in the dopamine-ß-hydroxylase activity and catecholamine levels, while the feed helped the hypercholesterolemic rabbits to recover the decrease in catecholamine biosynthesis.