Hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant Effects of Onion Peel in High‐Cholesterol Diet Fed C57BL/6J Mice

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant effects of onion peel extract administration in hypercholesterolemic male mice. C57BL/6J male mice(n=48) were divided into four groups and raised for 12 weeks : high cholesterol diet group ; HC, and high cholesterol diet plus onion peel administration group(50, 100, 200mg/kg/day, orally; OP‐50, OP‐100, OP‐200, respectively). Serum total cholesterol (TC) levels tended to be decreased in onion peel extract administered groups compared with HC group. Liver TC and Triglyceride (TG) level were significantly decreased in onion peel extract administered groups. Expression of the low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDL‐receptor) and cholesterol 7‐alpha‐monooxygenase (CYP7A1) were significantly upregulated in OP‐200. 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐glutaryl‐CoA reductase (HMG‐CoA reductase) were not significant among groups. Hepatic superdoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) and catalase (CAT) activity were measured. Antioxidant related enzyme analyzed by the real time PCR and western blotting. These results suggested that administration of onion peel extract were effective on lowering the cholesterol and improving antioxidant metabolism in mice.