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Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry logoLink to Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry
. 2004 Jul;19(2):141–148. doi: 10.1007/BF02894274

Antidyslipidemic and antioxidant activities of different fractions ofTerminalia arjuna stem bark

Ramesh Chander 1,✉, Kavita Singh 1, A K Khanna 1, S M Kaul 1, Anju Puri 1, Rashmi Saxena 1, Gitika Bhatia 2, Farhan Rizvi 1, A K Rastogi 1
PMCID: PMC3454206  PMID: 23105473

Abstract

Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna) stem bark was successively extracted with petroleum ether (A), solvent ether (B), ethanol (C) and water (D). The lipid lowering activity of these four fractions A, B, C, and D was evaluatedin vivo in two models viz., triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipemia in rats as well as fructose rich high fat diet (HFD) fed diabetic- dyslipidemic hamsters. Hyperlipidemia induced by triton caused marked increase in the plasma levels of total cholesterol (Tc), triglyceride (Tg) and phospholipids (PL) in rats. After treament withT. arjuna fractions A, B, C, and D at the doses of 250 mg/kg per oral (p.o.),only the ethanolic fraction (C) exerted significant lipid lowering effect as assessed by reversal of plasma levels of Tc, Tg and PL in hyperlipidemic rats. In another experiment, feeding with HFD produced marked dyslipidemia as observed by increased levels of plasma Tc, Tg, glucose (Glu), glycerol (Gly) and free fatty acids (FFA) in hamsters. After treatment withT. arjuna fractions at the doses of 250 mg/kg p.o. only two fraction (B and C) could exert significant lowering in the plasma levels of lipids and Glu. in dyslipidemic hamsters.In vitro experimentT. arjuna fractions at tested concentrations (50–500 μg/ml) inhibited the oxidative degradation of lipids in human low density lipoprotein and rat liver microsomes induced by metal ions. These fractions when tested against generation of oxygen free radicals at the concentrations (50–500 μg/ml), counteracted the formation of superoxide anions (O−2) and hydrodyl radicals (OH) in non enzymic test systems. The efficacy ofT. arjuna fractions as antidyslipidemic and antioxidant agents was found, fraction C> fraction B> fraction A.

Key Words: Antidyslipidemic activity, antioxidant activity, Terminalia arjuna oxygen free radical, triton model, hamster model

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