Abstract
Macrotyloma uniflorum Lam. (Verdc.) known as horse gram is an underutilized and unexplored legume distributed throughout Asia and Africa. Its seeds are rich in antioxidant phenolic acids, ferulic acid being the most potent one. The present study evaluates the protective effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of the seeds of Macrotyloma uniflorum (MUSE) and ferulic acid in hyperlipidemia and cardiac abnormalities associated with the metabolic syndrome in rats. Isolation and quantification of ferulic acid from MUSE was carried out by HPTLC and HPLC respectively. Abnormalities associated with the metabolic syndrome were induced in rats by administering them fructose (25% w/v) in drinking water for 45 days. MUSE (200mg/kg and 400mg/kg), ferulic acid (80mg/kg) and the standard drug gemfibrozil (60mg/kg) were administered to rats along with fructose. MUSE and ferulic acid treatments elicited significant cardioprotective activity by attenuating the fructose-elevated activities of the marker enzymes AST, LDH and CK-MB in serum and by restoring the fructose depleted activities of these enzymes in heart. Both treatments attenuated significantly the fructose elevated malondialdehyde levels, and restored the fructose depleted glutathione levels and activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in heart. A significant alteration in lipid profile, notable decrease in cardiac hypertrophy, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart collagen and blood glucose levels, and improved glucose tolerance was observed in the treatment groups when compared with the fructose fed animals. The present findings suggest that MUSE may be useful as an adjuvant for the management of hyperlipidemia and cardiac abnormalities associated with the metabolic syndrome. The potent antioxidant activity of its phenolic phytoconstituents, particularly ferulic acid, may be a major factor towards this activity.
Highlights
It has been globally recognized that cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a ubiquitous cause of morbidity and a leading contributor to mortality in most countries
The present study evaluates the protective effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of the seeds of Macrotyloma uniflorum (MUSE) and ferulic acid in hyperlipidemia and cardiac abnormalities associated with the metabolic syndrome in rats
Figure 1a: HPLC chromatogram for standard ferulic acid at 320 nm Antioxidant enzyme assays in heart homogenate superoxide dismutase (SOD) was assayed by the method of Sun and Zigman in which the activity of SOD was inversely proportional to the concentration of its oxidation product adrenochrome, which was measured spectrophotometrically at 320 nm[20]
Summary
It has been globally recognized that cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a ubiquitous cause of morbidity and a leading contributor to mortality in most countries. Central fat accumulation and presence of insulin-resistance have both been associated with a number of dyslipidemia features like elevated plasma triglyceride levels, increased VLDL and intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) levels, presence of small but dense LDL particles and decreased HDL levels These abnormalities of lipoprotein metabolism are more likely to occur together than separately and constitute essential features of the metabolic syndrome[3]. In Sprague-Dawley rats, feeding a high-fructose diet induces an increase in blood pressure associated with hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidemia, a pathologic status resembling human type 2 diabetes. In this model, rats were given fructose in drinking water to induce cardiac abnormalities associated with the metabolic syndrome. This study was undertaken to quantify ferulic acid in MUSE and to evaluate the protective effect of MUSE and ferulic acid in fructose induced hyperlipidemia and cardiac abnormalities in rats
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