ABSTRACT
The effects of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) leaves and its phenolic compounds, thymol and carvacrol, on the activities of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, i.e., phase I enzymes such as 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) and phase II enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and quinone reductase (QR), were investigated. Mice were fed with a diet containing thyme (0.5% or 2.0%) or treated orally with thymol (50-200 mg/kg) or carvacrol (50-200 mg/kg) once a day for 7 successive days, and then the enzyme activities in the livers were analyzed. Dietary administration of 2% thyme caused slightly but significantly higher ECOD, GST, and QR activities by 1.1-1.4-fold. Thymol (200 mg/kg) treatment resulted in significantly higher ECOD, GST, and QR activities by 1.3-1.9-fold, and carvacrol (200 mg/kg) treatment caused significantly higher ECOD, GST, and QR activities by 1.3-1.7-fold. Thymol-treated animals had significantly higher protein levels of GST alpha and GST micro, and carvacrol-treated animals had significantly higher levels of GST micro. These results imply that thyme contains bifunctional inducers (i.e., substances capable of inducing both phase I and phase II enzymes) and that thymol and carvacrol may account for the effects of thyme.
Subject(s)
Liver/enzymology , Monoterpenes/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Thymol/pharmacology , Thymus Plant/chemistry , Xenobiotics/metabolism , 7-Alkoxycoumarin O-Dealkylase/metabolism , Animals , Blotting, Western , Cymenes , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel , Glutathione Transferase/metabolism , Liver/drug effects , Male , Mice , NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)/metabolism , Organ Size/drug effects , Plant Leaves , Random AllocationABSTRACT
Allium species such as onions and garlic are used as foodstuff, condiment, flavoring, and folk medicine. Onions may decrease hyperlipidemia and improve atherosclerosis. However, the ingredients in onion that are responsible for this phenomenon are not known. In the present study, we investigated the effects of cycloalliin, a sulfur-containing imino acid in onions, on lipid metabolism in Sprague-Dawley rats. When supplemented at the 0.1% and 0.3% levels to the atherogenic diet, cycloalliin reduced serum triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration by approximately 40% compared to the control. Serum cholesterol ester level also showed a tendency to decrease in cycloalliin groups. Hepatic lipid levels were comparable among the groups, although TAG and phospholipid contents were slightly higher in both cycloalliin groups. Dietary cycloalliin had no significant effect on hepatic enzyme activities responsible for TAG synthesis (phosphatidate phosphohydrolase, malic enzyme, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH)). In conclusion, dietary cycloalliin has serum TG-lowering effect without affecting hepatic TAG synthesis and content in rats, suggesting an alteration of lipoprotein assembly and secretion processes in the liver.
Subject(s)
Diet, Atherogenic , Imino Acids/pharmacology , Pipecolic Acids/pharmacology , Triglycerides/blood , Animals , Body Weight/drug effects , Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase/drug effects , Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase/metabolism , Lipids/blood , Liver/growth & development , Liver/metabolism , Malate Dehydrogenase/drug effects , Malate Dehydrogenase/metabolism , Male , Organ Size/drug effects , Phosphatidate Phosphatase/drug effects , Phosphatidate Phosphatase/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
A number of sulfur-containing amino acids and peptides are found in allium plants such as onion and garlic that have physiologic functions. In HepG2 cells, S-propyl cysteine decreased the secretion of apolipoprotein B100. The compound reduced the secretion of newly synthesized triacylglycerol and cholesterols from radiolabeled acetate. We associated the decrease of apolipoprotein B100 secretion to the length of the acyl-chain of the sulfur-containing amino acids. The present study suggests that foods containing S-propyl cysteine including onions have beneficial effects.
