Arctium lappa ameliorates endothelial dysfunction in rats fed with high fat/cholesterol diets

Abstract

BackgroundArctium lappa L. (Asteraceae), burdock, is a medicinal plant that is popularly used for treating hypertension, gout, hepatitis, and other inflammatory disorders. This study was performed to test the effect of ethanol extract of Arctium lappa L. (EAL) seeds on vascular reactivity and inflammatory factors in rats fed a high fat/cholesterol diet (HFCD).MethodEAL-I (100 mg·kg−1/day), EAL-II (200 mg·kg−1/day), and fluvastatin (3 mg·kg−1/day) groups initially received HFCD alone for 8 weeks, with EAL supplementation provided during the final 6 weeks.ResultsTreatment with low or high doses of EAL markedly attenuated plasma levels of triglycerides and augmented plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in HFCD-fed rats. Chronic treatment with EAL markedly reduced impairments of acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation of aortic rings. Furthermore, chronic treatment with EAL significantly lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) and maintained smooth and flexible intimal endothelial layers in HFCD-fed rats. Chronic treatment with EAL suppressed upregulation of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, and E-selectin in the aorta. Chronic treatment with EAL also suppressed increases in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 expression. These results suggested that EAL can inhibit HFCD-induced vascular inflammation in the rat model.ConclusionThe present study provides evidence that EAL ameliorates HFCD-induced vascular dysfunction through protection of vascular relaxation and suppression of vascular inflammation.

Yoga treatment for chronic non-specific low back pain

“…We also excluded one study because it compared different doses of yoga (Saper 2013), and one study because it compared different yoga techniques (Haldavnekar 2014). Finally, we excluded six references because they were not original study reports (Graves 2004; Borg-Olivier 2005; Anon 2006; Horng 2006; Anon 2009; Selfridge 2012).…”

Inhibitory effect of burdock leaves on elastase and tyrosinase activity

“…Burdock (Arctium lappa L.), a biennial plant belonging to the Compositae family, has been cultivated in Eastern Asian countries, particularly in Taiwan, China and Japan for use in cooking and in folk medicine as a diuretic, antipyretic and blood purifying agent (8-10). Pharmacologically, burdock has been identified to possess hepatoprotective (11,12), desmutagenic (13), antibacterial (14,15), gastroprotective (16,17), anti-hypoglycemic (18,19), anti-hypolipidemic (20), anti-inflammatory (21), antifatigue (22), antioxidant (10,21,23), body weight management (24) and aphrodisiac (25) activities. Therefore, burdock-containing health drinks and foods are widely consumed in Taiwan.…”

Therapeutic Value of Arctium Lappa Linn. – A Review

“…Chronic treatment with EAL also suppressed increases in matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression. These results suggested that EAL can inhibit HFCD-induced vascular inflammation in the rat model [77].…”