Juniperus communis Linn oil decreases oxidative stress and increases antioxidant enzymes in the heart of rats administered a diet rich in cholesterol

Abstract

It has been asserted that consumption of dietary cholesterol (Chol) raises atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and that Chol causes an increase in free radical production. Hypercholesterolemic diet has also been reported to cause changes in the antioxidant system. In our study, different doses of Juniperus communis Linn (JCL) oil, a tree species growing in Mediterranean and Isparta regions and having aromatic characteristics, were administered to rats; and the levels of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay (TBARS) were examined in the heart tissue of rats. In this study, 35 Wistar Albino male adult rats weighing approximately 250-300 g were used. The rats were divided into five groups of seven each. The control group was administered normal pellet chow, and the Chol group was administered pellet chow including 2% Chol, while 50 JCL, 100 JCL, and 200 JCL groups were administered 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg JCL oil dissolved in 0.5% sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, respectively, in addition to the pellet chow containing 2% Chol, by gavage. After 30 days, the experiment was terminated and the antioxidant enzyme activities were examined in the heart tissue of rats. While consumption of dietary Chol decreases the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT in heart tissue of rats (not significant), administeration of 200 mg/kg JCL oil in addition to Chol led to a significant increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Administering Chol led to a significant increase in TBARS level. Administering 100 and 200 mg/kg JCL oil together with Chol prevented significantly the increase in lipid peroxides. As a result of the study, JCL oil showed oxidant-antioxidant effect in the heart tissue of rats.

Identification and Characterization of Amentoflavone from Six Species of Juniperus Against H2O2 Induced Oxidative Damage in Human Erythrocytes and Leucocytes

“…Anti-diabetic and antichronic cystitis hyperlipidemic (Banerjee et al, 2013) ( Gumral et al, 2015) Antimicrobial activity (Pepeljnjak et al, 2005), antioxidant activity (Hoferl et al, 2014), Anti-hyper cholesterolemic activity (Akdogan et al, 2012) Neuroprotective (Bais et al, 2014a) Antibacterial activity (Sati and Joshi, 2010), anti-inflammatory (Tunon et al, 1995), anticataleptic activity (Bais et al, 2014b) Juniperus wallichiana NISCAIR/RHMD/ Tree (blue pine forest)…”

Chemical Composition, Cytotoxic and Antibacterial Activities of Essential Oils of Cultivated Clones of Juniperus communis and Wild Juniperus Species

“…Essential oils (EOs) obtained from this genus are extensively used in cosmetics, perfumery, pharmaceutical and in food additive industries . Literature survey revealed that Juniperus belongs to one of the potential biologically active species having antifertility, hypoglycaemic, antidiabetic, antifungal, diuretic, antiseptic, carminative, stomachic and antirheumatic activities .…”

Kolaviron, a biflavonoid fraction from Garcinia kola, protects against isoproterenol-induced injury by mitigating cardiac dysfunction and oxidative stress in rats

“…It is well known that ISOinduced myocardial injury is mediated primarily via the β-adrenergic receptor. Acute β-adrenergic receptor stimulation not only leads to generation of reactive oxygen species but also depletes total cellular antioxidant capacity, downregulates copper-zinc SOD activity and reduces GSH level, leading to the loss of membrane integrity and induction of heart contractile dysfunction and myocyte toxicity, finally producing myocardial necrosis [36]. In the present study, these biochemical alterations were observed in ISO-treated rats.…”