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372801

Exploring the Potential of Rhubarb Extract in Combating Dyslipidemia, Hepatic Damage, and Oxidative Stress in Hypercholesterolemic Rats

Article

Last updated: 25 Feb 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

Biochemistry

Abstract

This work intended to determine the therapeutic efficacy of Rhubarb (Rhu) (Rheum rhabarbarum, family Polygonaceae) rhizome extract on lipid profile and hepatic functions and explore its mechanism as an antioxidant agent in hypercholesterolemic rats. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding the rats with a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) for 4 weeks. Fifty rats were distributed into 5 groups: 1-control, 2-HCD, 3-HCD+ Atorvastatin (Atorva) (20 mg/kg), 4-HCD+Rhu extract (75 mg/kg), and 5-HCD+Rhu extract (150 mg/kg). Serum lipid profiles [TC, HDLc, LDLc, VLDLc, and TG], hepatic function enzymes [ALT, AST, and ALP], and antioxidants markers [MDA, SOD, and CAT] were assessed. Besides, the hepatic histopathological changes were examined in all groups. The results revealed that alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, terpenes, and anthraquinones were high in Rhu extract. The HCD group showed significantly elevated lipid levels, hepatic dysfunction, and oxidative stress relative to the control group (p ≤ 0.05). Hepatic tissues had severe changes, increased lipid droplets within many hepatocytes, congestion, and inflammation of hepatic sinusoids. Treatment with Rhu extract at 150 mg/kg significantly corrected and restored these changes. Rhu extract significantly reduced serum lipid profile and alleviated hepatic function. In addition, it significantly restored the antioxidant enzymes activities and reduced lipid peroxidation relative to the HCD group (p ≤ 0.05). These findings suggest that Rhu extract has markedly hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects. Its antioxidant active compounds could explain the underlying mechanics. Therefore, Rhu extract might be developed as a therapeutic agent for managing hypercholesterolemia. Further in-depth investigations of its mechanism are needed.

DOI

10.21608/ejchem.2024.297167.9855

Keywords

Rhubarb, Rats, Hypercholesterolemia, Hepatoprotective, antioxidant

Authors

First Name

Manal

Last Name

Mansoury

MiddleName

Mahmoud Sadaqah

Affiliation

Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Sciences and Design, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Email

mmmansouri@kau.edu.sa

City

-

Orcid

-

Volume

68

Article Issue

3

Related Issue

53789

Issue Date

2025-03-01

Receive Date

2024-06-12

Publish Date

2025-03-01

Page Start

111

Page End

120

Print ISSN

0449-2285

Online ISSN

2357-0245

Link

https://ejchem.journals.ekb.eg/article_372801.html

Detail API

http://journals.ekb.eg?_action=service&article_code=372801

Order

372,801

Type

Original Article

Type Code

297

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Chemistry

Publication Link

https://ejchem.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Exploring the Potential of Rhubarb Extract in Combating Dyslipidemia, Hepatic Damage, and Oxidative Stress in Hypercholesterolemic Rats

Details

Type

Article

Created At

15 Feb 2025