Study on Hypolipidemic Effect of Pure Total Flavonoids from Qu Aurantii Fructus on Golden Hamsters of Hyperlipidemia and Its Potential Mechanism

OBJECTIVE To investigate the hypolipidemic effect of pure total flavonoids from Qu Aurantii Fructus(PTFC) on Hamsters of Hyperlipidemia and its potential mechanism. METHODS Forty eight golden hamsters were randomly divided into control group, model group, fenofibrate group(100 mg·kg^-1·d^-1), PTFC low, medium and high dosages groups(25, 50, 100 mg·kg^-1·d^-1). Firstly, golden hamsters were fed with high fat diet for 6 weeks, at the same time, golden hamsters were administrated intragastrically with PTFC from the 3 week to 6 week. Six weeks after high fat diet, golden hamsters were euthanized, serum biochemical indices and inflammatory factors, MDA content and SOD activity in serum and liver were detected by biochemical method and ELISA assay. The pathological changes of the liver tissues were observed by HE staining; the mRNA and protein expression of PPAR-α and PPAR-γ were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting assay. RESULTS PTFC significantly reduced the serum lipid levels of TC, TG, LDL-c, IL-6 and TNF-α in 50 and 100 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 doses(P<0.05 or P<0.01); and the liver function related factors ALT, AST and GLU levels in high does. The content of MDA were significantly reduced and SOD activity were significantly recovered in serum and liver after PTFC administration(P<0.01). The liver pathological results confirmed that the liver pathological injury of golden hamster treated with PTFC was significantly improved compared with that of model group. The mRNA and protein expressions of PPAR-α and PPAR-γ in liver and adipose tissue were also significantly activated with PTFC administration in different doses(P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION PTFC has potential hypolipidemic effect in hamsters of hyperlipidemia, and this might owing to the attenuating of lipid levels, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and the activation of PPAR-α and PPAR-γ in hyperlipoidemia hamsters.