RESUMO
Objective: To explore the lipid-lowering effect and potential mechanism of the couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris on hyperlipidemia rats. Methods: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, normal control group, high-fat model group, simvastatin group, Tribulus terrestris group, Flastem Milkvetch Seed group, and couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris group, with 8 rats in each group. The normal control group was fed with basal diet, and the other groups were fed with high-fat diet to establish a hyperlipidemia rat model. At the same time, different group rats were treated with different drug respectively. 6 weeks later, the body weight and visceral index of the rats were measured. Levels of serum cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer. The mRNA and protein expression of HMG coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), cholesterol 7-alpha hydroxy-lase (CYP7A1) and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) were detected by RT-PCR and western blot. Results: Compared with model group, the serum levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C were significantly decreased in all Chinese medicine groups, and the serum level of HDL-C was significantly increased in Flastem Milkvetch Seed group and couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris group. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression of HMGCR, CYP7A1, and LDL-R in rat liver also significantly increased in all Chinese medicine treatment groups. And couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris group shows more significantly effect. Conclusion: Couplet medicines of Flastem Milkvetch Seed and Tribulus terrestris significantly regulate the serum lipid levels on hyperlipidemia rat model, and its mechanism may be related to the regulating expressions of HMGCR, CYP7A1, LDL-R gene.
RESUMO
Objective Lipid metabolism disorder can lead to male sterility, but its mechanism of affecting spermatogenesis and testis microenvironment remains unclear.This study aimed to investigate the effects of high fat diet on reproductive function and the expression of Ox-LDL within testis in male mice. Methods 16 C57BL/6 mice aged 8 weeks were divided into two groups by random number table method.High fat diet group was fed with high fat diet while normal fat diet group was fed with normal fat diet .At the end of 16 weeks, the levels of TG, TC, Ox-LDL and testosterone in serum were measured.The sperm concentration and motility from caudal epi-didymis were analyzed.The testis structure was observed by HE stai-ning.The localization and expression of Ox-LDL in testis were detec-ted by immunohistochemical technique. Results Compared with the normal diet group mice, the body weight (P0.05).The serum level of testosterone[(3.64 ±0.43)mg/L vs (0.40 ±0.14) mg/L, P<0.01], the sperm concentration[(9.95 ±0.75)106/mL vs (5.66 ±1.51)106/mL, P<0.01] and the sperm motility[(54.69 ±17.84)%vs (32.48 ±5.80)%, P<0.01] decreased in high fat diet group significantly.HE staining also showed that the amount of Leydig cells, spermatids and spermatozoons reduced obvi-ously in high fat diet group.Immunohistochemistry staining showed that Ox-LDL was mainly distributed around Leydig cells of mice tes-tis.The expression of Ox-LDL in high fat diet group increased significantly ( P<0.01) . Conclusion The expression of Ox-LDL in Leydig cells of high fat diet C57BL/6J mice increases significantly, which may inhibit testosterone biosynthesis and affect spermatogen-ic function.