Table 1.

Modulation of serum lipid profile.

Monoterpene	Experimental Model	Efficacy	Target/Pathway	Refs.
Linalool	C57BL/6J mice fed with HFD	Lowers TC, TG, and LDL-C, and improves atherogenic index	Suppresses SREBP-2-mediated HMG-CoA reductase expression and induces ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of the HMG-CoA reductase	[24]
Amarogentin	C57BL/6J mouse model of diabetes	Attenuates neointimal thickening, and collagen and lipid deposition in the aorta, lowers TC, TG, LDL-C, and VLDL-C, and increases HDL-C	Induces phosphorylation of AMPK	[26]
Oleuropein	Wistar rats fed with a cholesterol rich diet	Decreases TC and TG, and elevates HDL-C	Suppresses lipid synthesis and promotes fatty acid oxidation mediated by AMPK	[27]
Aucubin	C57BL/6J mice treated with tyloxapol	Downregulates TC, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C, and increases HDL-C	Activates AMPK and Nrf2, and promotes the expression of PPARα and PPARγ	[28]
Thymoquinone	SD rats fed with HFD	Decreases TC and LDL-C levels	Downregulates gene expression of HMG-CoA reductase and upregulates the expression LDLR	[30]
Geniposide	C57BL/6J mice and ApoE−/− mice fed with HFD	Suppresses atherosclerotic plaque progression, reduces serum TC and TG, and attenuates hepatic lipid deposition	Regulates FXR-mediated liver-gut crosstalk of bile acids	[31]
Swertiamarin	SD rats fed with a cholesterol rich diet	Lowers TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C, and atherogenic index	Inhibits HMG-CoA reductase activity and enhances the fecal bile acid and total sterols excretion	[34]
Eucalyptol	Wistar rat model of diabetic-atherosclerosis	Prevents the formation of the atheromatous lesions, reduces TC, TG, and LDL-C, and upregulates HDL-C	Not shown	[35]
Geraniol	Syrian hamsters fed with an atherogenic diet	Decreases TC, TG, free fatty acids, phospholipids, LDL-C, and VLDL-C, upregulates HDL-C, and lowers atherogenic index	Inhibits HMG-CoA reductase and suppresses lipogenesis	[36]
Thymol	New Zealand white rabbits fed with HFD	Decreases TC, TG, and LDL-C, and elevates HDL-C	Not shown	[37]
Limonene	Wistar rats fed with an atherogenic diet	Reduces TG, TC, VLDL-C, LDL-C and non-HDL-C levels, and elevates HDL-C/LDL-C, HDL-C/TC and HDL-C/TG	Reduces HMG-CoA reductase activity	[38]
p-Cymene	Wistar rat model of diabetes	Improves TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C, and HDL-C	Suppresses AKT/mTOR signaling	[39]
Safranal	Wistar rat model of diabetes	Decreases total lipids, TC, TG, and LDL-C, and elevates HDL-C	Not shown	[40]
Genipin	C57BL/6J mice fed with HFD; mouse primary hepatocytes treated with free fatty acids	Antagonizes HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and hepatic lipid accumulation	Regulates miR-142a-5p/SREBP-1c axis	[41]
Catalpol	New Zealand white rabbits fed with HFD and EA. hy926 cells treated with ox-LDL	Attenuates atherosclerotic lesions, decreases TC, TG, and LDL-C, and increases HDL-C	Promotes Nrf2/HO-1-mediated anti-oxidative stress and inhibits NF-κB-mediated inflammation	[42]
Paeoniflorin	C57BL/6J mice fed with HFD	Exerts an antagonistic effect on hyperlipidemia and lipid ectopic deposition	Lowers the lipid synthesis pathway, promotes fatty acid oxidation and increases cholesterol output	[43]
Loganic acid	New Zealand rabbits fed with a cholesterol rich diet	Decreases intima thickness and intima/media ratio in the thoracic aorta, lowers TG and ox-LDL, and increases HDL-C	Promotes the expression of PPARα and PPARγ	[44]
Loganin	C57BLKS/J type 2 diabetic db/db mice	Reduces TG and LDL-C/VLDL-C, and increases HDL-C	Suppresses gene expressions related to lipid synthesis and adjusts the abnormal expression of PPARα and SREBPs in the nucleus	[45]
Oleacein	C57BL/6J mice fed with HFD	Reduces TC, TG, and LDL-C	Downregulates the expression of FAS, SREBP-1, and phospho-ERK	[46]
Gentiopicroside	C57BL/6J mice treated with tyloxapol and HepG2 cells treated with free fatty acid	Reduces TC and TG	Regulates Nrf2-mediated PPARα activation and SREBP-1c inactivation	[47]