Effects of Extracts of Piper Longum on the Disorder of Lipid Metabolism in Hamsters

OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of extracts of Piper longum on golden hamster models of hyperlipidemia. METHODS The disorder of lipid metabolism was induced by feeding with high-cholesterol diets. The hamsters were randomly divided into normal control group, hyperlipidemia model group, extracts of Piper longum group, removal of piperine group and sinvastatin positive control group. The later 4 groups of hamsters were fed with high-cholesterol diets in addition to the normal control for 2 or 4 weeks. The weights of all groups were measured. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) concentrations in the serum and the liver and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the serum concentrations were detected by auto-biochemistry analyzer. The liver indexes were determined. RESULTS Compared with normal control, model group significantly increased TC, TG, LDL-C(P<0.01) and obviously decreased HDL-C. Compared with model group, extracts of Piper longum group could significantly reduce TC, TG, LDL-C and significantly increase HDL-C in the end of 2 weeks and 4 weeks(i>P<0.05 or i>P<0.01). Except removal of piperine group could notably decrease LDL-C and increase HDL-C in the end of 2 weeks, the contents of TC, TG, LDL-C of removal of piperine group were lower than the model group in the other time, but there were no significant differences, and the HDL were higher than the model group(i>P<0.05). In the first two weeks, compared with the model group, the weight of tested groups significantly higher, but there was no significant difference after two weeks. Extracts of Piper longum group could obviously decrease the contents of liver lipid. The tested groups could notably decrease liver index. CONCLUSION The extracts of Piper longum could adjust the disorder of lipid metabolism in hamster models of hyperlipidemia, and piperine is the main active ingredient, moreover, there is a synergistic effect between piperine and other components in extracts of Piper longum.