Antihyperlipidemic and hepatic antioxidant effects of Leek leaf methanol extract in high fat diet-fed rats

Abstract

Hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress are major risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. This study was designed to investigate the hypolipidemic and hepatic antioxidant potentials of the methanol Leek extract (LE) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rat model. Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 6/groups) as 1) control fed standard diet, 2) HFD, 3) HFD + (Atorvastatin) (20 mg/kg), and HFD + LE (100, 200, or 300 mg/kg). All treatments were administered by gavage and conducted for 6 weeks, daily. At all tested, but in a dose-independent manner, LE significantly reduced final body weights and food intake and suppressed serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Besides, in inhibited serum and hepatic levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) but increased serum and hepatic levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Concomitantly, LE, at all tested doses increased the activity of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), increased the levels of catalase (CAT) and decreased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the livers of HFD-fed rats. In conclusion, LE exerts potent hypolipidemic and hepatic antioxidant potentials in HFD-fed rats which highlight its beneficial effects in various metabolic-related disorders. Abbreviations: LE: Leek extract; HFD: high-fat diet; TC: Total cholesterol; TG: Triglycerides; LDL-C: Low-density lipoprotein; HDL-C: High-density lipoprotein; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; GPx: Glutathione peroxidase; SOD: Superoxidase dismutase; CAT Catalase; MDA: Malondialdehyde.