Effects of Bixa orellana L. Seeds on Hyperlipidemia

Abstract

Bixa orellana L., urucum, or urucu, a native tropical tree of Central and South American rain forests is used to treat various diseases in popular medicine. In Ceará, Northeast of Brazil, the seeds of urucum have been used for the treatment of high lipid blood levels. The present study investigated the effects of the aqueous extract from Bixa orellana seeds (AEBO) in mice with hyperlipidemia induced by tyloxapol, fructose and ethanol. In hyperlipidemia induced by Triton WR1339, 400 and 800 mg/kg AEBO reduced triglycerides (TG) serum levels at 24 h and 48 h. In the study of hypertriglyceridemia induced by fructose, AEBO in doses of 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg reduced TG levels by 48.2% and 48.7%, respectively. Finally, the ethanol experimental model with 400 mg/kg AEBO promoted a reduction of 33.6% of TG levels, while the 800 mg/kg concentration reduced hypertriglyceridemia in 62.2%. In conclusion, the aqueous extract of the seeds of Bixa orellana was capable of reversing the hypertriglyceridemia induced by Triton, fructose and ethanol, demonstrating a hypolipidemic effect. However, further studies are necessary to discover the precise mechanism of action.

Annatto seed residue (Bixa orellana L.): nutritional quality

“…Brazil is one of the largest producers and exporters of natural dye extracted from this plant (Mantovani et al, 2013;Anselmo et al, 2008). Annato seeds have been used to treat various diseases in popular medicine including for high lipid blood levels (Ferreira et al, 2013). Bacterial activity of annatto extracts was proportional to bixin content for various bacteria (Majolo et al, 2013).…”

Potencial cicatricial da Bixa orellana L. em feridas cutâneas: estudo em modelo experimental

“…Quando avaliada a morfologia do fígado e dos rins, não se observaram alterações degenerativas, inflamatórias ou proliferativas, indicando que o extrato oleoso de urucum não possui efeito deletério em nível sistêmico, o que corrobora estudo que observou a ação positiva do extrato aquoso de urucum no controle da hipertrigliceridemia, sugerindo seu efeito hepatoprotetor (Ferreira et al, 2013).…”

“…Possui, em sua composição química, aminoácidos (triptofano, metionina e lisina), carotenoides (bixina e norbixina), além de alto teor de ácidos graxos e pequenas quantidades de ácido linoleico e oleico. É amplamente utilizada nas indústrias alimentícia e cosmética por ser um corante natural; além disso, estudos demostram sua atividade antibacteriana, antifúngica, antiinflamatória, hiperlipidêmica, laxativa e hipotensora, quando o óleo é extraído de diferentes formas e de partes variadas da planta (Shilpi et al, 2006;Ferreira et al, 2013;Stohs, 2013;Vilar et al, 2014).…”

Antihyperlipidemic effect of <i>Berberis orthobotrys</i> in hyperlipidemic animal models

“…10% ethanol was added to the drinking water of ethanol and B. orthobotrys extract treated groups, whereas the Group 1 only received water. Blood samples were collected from cardiac puncture of animals and total cholesterol (TC) and TG level is determined using commercially available kits (Ferreira et al, 2013). Measurement of serum lipid profile-total cholesterol, TG, high density lipoprotein (HDL) were estimated by using standard kits of HUMAN Pharmaceuticals.…”