WATER EXTRACTS FROMNELUMBO NUCIFERALEAF REDUCED PLASMA LIPIDS AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN CHOLESTEROL-FED RABBITS

Abstract

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn (Nelumbonaceae) leaf was used as food or beverage in Taiwan. Recently, the leaf extract was also found to possess antioxidative ability. Base on the close relationship between antioxidation and atherosclerosis, we investigated the inhibitory activity of the water extract (Nelumbo nucifera leaf extract [NLE]) on hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. In rabbits fed with high‐cholesterol diet (HCD) plus 0.5% or 1.0% of NLE, the inhibitory level of triglyceride was 30% and 46.6%, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) was 45.4 and 45.9% compared with the HCD‐fed rabbits. NLE significantly reduced severe atherosclerosis, foam cell formation and smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration in the aorta. In the thiobarituric acid‐reacting substances assay, the concentration of NLE higher than 0.05 mg/mL, the inhibitory percentage was about 80%. In the relative electrophoretic mobility assay, NLE inhibited oxidative LDL up to 60%. These results suggest that NLE lowers LDL oxidation and serum lipids, and has cardiovascular protective ability. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The water extract of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn (Nelumbonaceae) leaf can significantly inhibit oxidative low‐density lipoprotein in vitro and reduce plasma lipid, atherosclerosis, foam cell formation, and smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration in vivo. These findings point out that the water extract of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn (Nelumbonaceae) leaf can be applied for preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Nelumbo nucifera leaf extract treatment attenuated preneoplastic lesions and oxidative stress in the livers of diethylnitrosamine‐treated rats

“…Importantly, the concentration of NLE (0.5%), which was established according to the findings of previous chemopreventive studies . Oral NLE has been shown to prevent malignancy in MCF‐7 breast cancer cell xenografts and in vitro and to reduce body lipid accumulation in the high‐cholesterol diet (HCD)‐induced obesity . Our study demonstrated that NLE administration attenuated DEN‐induced oxidative stress and the inflammatory response and abrogated the formation of preneoplastic liver nodules and the development of HCC.…”

“…Several studies have shown that NLE exerts cancer chemopreventive efficacy in a wide variety of rodent models of carcinogenesis . The concentrations of NLE required eliciting biochemical changes germane to chemoprevention in experiments in vitro are in the 0.5 to 3.0 mg/ml range . For the development of NLE as a potential liver cancer chemopreventive agent in vivo, we select a safe dose of 0.5–1% (based on administration with food) is appropriate for daily supplements, might elicit chemoprevention.…”

“…For the development of NLE as a potential liver cancer chemopreventive agent in vivo, we select a safe dose of 0.5–1% (based on administration with food) is appropriate for daily supplements, might elicit chemoprevention. Importantly, the concentration of NLE (0.5%), which was established according to the findings of previous chemopreventive studies . Oral NLE has been shown to prevent malignancy in MCF‐7 breast cancer cell xenografts and in vitro and to reduce body lipid accumulation in the high‐cholesterol diet (HCD)‐induced obesity .…”

“…Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn is the currently recognized name for this species. N. nucifera leaves were purchased from Paiho District Farmers' Association Organization in Tainan City, Taiwan and identified by the Department of Pharmacology, Chung Shan Medical University . A voucher specimen has been kept for future reference at the Department of Pharmacology, Chung Shan Medical University.…”

“…The experiments were performed as described previously . Liver samples were homogenized in ice‐cold radioimmunoprecipitation assay buffer containing protease inhibitor.…”