Protective effect of Juniperus Communis extract by inhibition of Pro-nucleating agents in lithogenic diet induced cholelithiasis in mice

Abstract

Backgroundgallstone disease or cholelithiasis is a disease caused by change in bile secretions and cholesterol saturation to form crystal and blockage in bile duct. Aimthe aim of present study evaluate protective effect of Juniperus Communis extract by inhibition of Pro-nucleating agents in lithogenic diet induced cholelithiasis in mice. Material and methodsMice fed with diet containing 1% cholesterol and 0.5% for six weeks resulted in cholesterol super saturation in gallbladder bile, which promoted the formation of cholesterol gallstones (CGS). In this study, methanolic extract of J. Communis (MEJC) were examined for their antilithogenic potential along with lithogenic (LG) diet for seven weeks. ResultsJ. Communis extracts were reduced the CGS incidence by 15–39%, the effect being a maximum in the methanol extract group. The extract markedly reduced biliary cholesterol. The cholesterol: phospholipids ratio which was 1.56 in the LG diet group was reduced to 0.92–0.97 in the J. Communis extracts groups. Serum and liver cholesterol was decreased by feeding J. Communis extracts to the LG diet. ConclusionJ. Communis extracts exerted antilithogenic influence by decreasing the cholesterol hyper-secretion into bile and increasing the bile acid output thus decreasing the formation of lithogenic bile in experimental mice.