Epidemiological studies have shown that there is a positive correlation between the incidence of
coronary heart disease (CHD) and the blood
cholesterol level. To study the effect of plant derived
triterpene,
lupeol and its
ester lupeol linoleate, on blood
lipid status and
oxidant stress in heart and hemolysate, male albino Wistar rats were fed high
cholesterol diet (normal rat chow supplemented with 4%
cholesterol and 1%
cholic acid; HCD) for 30 days. A significant increase (p<0.05) in plasma total
cholesterol (4.22 fold) and
triglycerides (1.7 fold) was observed in HCD fed rats, along with elevated
LDL (3.56 fold) and VLDL (1.99 fold)
cholesterol and decreased
HDL cholesterol (34.14%). Treatment with
lupeol and its derivative normalized the
lipid profile. The significant increase (p<0.05) in lipid peroxidation (LPO) was paralleled by significantly diminished (p<0.05) activities of
antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GPx) and decreased (p<0.05) concentration of
antioxidant molecules (GSH, Vit C and Vit E) in cardiac tissue and hemolysate of HCD fed rats. The oxidative tissue injury in hypercholesterolemic rats was substantiated by the increase in cardiac
marker, serum CPK and the drop in its activity in the heart tissue.
Lupeol and
lupeol linoleate treatment decreased the LPO levels and increased enzymatic and nonenzymatic
antioxidants. CPK activity in the treated group was comparable with that of the control. These observations highlight the beneficial effects of the
triterpene,
lupeol and its
linoleate ester derivative, in ameliorating the lipidemic-oxidative abnormalities in the early stage of hypercholesterolemic
atherosclerosis.