Hypercholesterolemia is one of the most important risk factors for atherosclerosis and subsequent
cardiovascular disease. In the present study, the therapeutic effect of curcumin (CUR) administration on
serum lipid profile, apolipoprotein A (apo A), apolipoprotein B (apo B), Lipoprotein a Lp (a), homocysteine
and endotheline-1 (ET-1) in high cholesterol diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats have been
evaluated. This study was carried out on 60 male rats. The rats were divided into four equal groups of 15
rats each. Group Ι :( Control group): rats fed on normal diet. Group Π: Rats fed with hypercholesterolemic
diet (HCD) [4% cholesterol (w/w) and 1% cholic acid] and received no drug all over the period of the
experiment. Group III: Rats fed with HCD + administrated with curcumin (200 mg/kg, body weight/day
orally) after two weeks from the onset of the experiment (induction of hypercholesterolemia).Group IV:
Rats fed with normal diet + administrated with curcumin (200 mg/kg, body weight/day orally) after two
weeks from the onset of the experiment. Blood samples were collected from all animal groups three times
at 2, 4 and 6 weeks from the onset of treatment with curcumin. The obtained results showed that, cholesterolinduced
hypercholesterolemia caused a marked increase in serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, LDLC,
VLDL-C, phospholipids, lipoprotein A, Apo B, endothelin-1 and homocysteine. On the other hand, a
significant decrease in serum HDL–C and Apo A were observed in high cholesterol diet-induced
hypercholesterolemia in rats. Treatment with curcumin to high cholesterol diet-induced
hypercholesterolemia rats lowered serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, LDL-C, VLDL-C,
phospholipid, endothelin-1 and homocysteine concentration, in addition to, increasing HDL-C and Apo A.
These results suggest that, curcumin may be effective in controlling cholesterolemic status and improving
dyslipidemia and has the potential in reducing cardiovascular complications due to hypercholesterolemia. |
