The active constituents of Sesamum indicum,
sesamin and
sesamolin, have already been explored for hypolipidemic action. In this study we have explored the anti-dyslipidemic activity of another active component and metabolite of
sesamolin (
sesamol), by using acute models of
hyperlipidemia viz., a fat tolerance test, a
tyloxapol-induced
hyperlipidemia model and a chronic model of
hyperlipidemia viz., a high-fat diet-induced
hyperlipidemia model in Swiss albino mice.
Sesamol (100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) decreased
triacylglycerol absorption in the fat tolerance test by showing a dose-dependent decrease in
triacylglycerol levels. The hypolipidemic effect of
sesamol at 200 mg/kg was equivalent to 10 mg/kg of
orlistat. In the
tyloxapol-induced
hyperlipidemia model,
Sesamol at 200 mg/kg reversed the elevated levels of
cholesterol and
triacylglycerol compared with the
tyloxapol group at 12 and 24 h, which indicates its probable effect on
cholesterol synthesis. Chronic
hyperlipidemia in mice was produced by feeding a high-diet, a mixture of
cholesterol (2 % w/w),
cholic acid (1 % w/w) and
coconut oil 30 % (v/w) with standard powdered standard animal chow (up to 100 g).
Niacin (100 mg/kg) and
sesamol (100 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the elevated
body weight compared with the high fat diet control group. Elevated levels of
cholesterol and
triacylglycerol were significantly (P < 0.05) reversed by the
sesamol (50 and 100 mg/kg), implying that it might reduce the absorption and increase the excretion of
cholesterol as well.