Korean J Nutr.  2012 Oct;45(5):411-419. 10.4163/kjn.2012.45.5.411.

Effects of the purified extracts from Lycii Cortex Radicis and ginger on lipid statusand serum cytokine levels in rats fed high fat diet

• Park EJ
• Choi SW
• Cho SH

• KMID: 2268735
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/kjn.2012.45.5.411

Abstract

The present study was to investigate the effects of Lycii Cortex Radicis (LCR), the root bark of lycium (Lycium chenese Miller) and ginger (Gin) on body lipid status and serum levels of cytokines. Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats weighing 193.6 +/- 16.8 g were divided into five groups, including one low fat (LF) and four high fat groups, i.e. HF-Control, HF-LCR, HF-Gin and HF-LCR + Gin groups. Diets for HF-LCR, HF-Gin and HF-LCR + Gin groups contained purified extracts having 0.2 g LCR tyramine, ginerol and 0.1 g tyramine plus 0.02 g gingerol per kg, respectively. Compared with those of the HF-Control total serum cholesterol level decreased, and HDL-cholesterol level increased in the HF-LCR group and serum triglyceride levels decreased in the three experimental groups fed the purified extracts. Liver cholesterol level was lower in the HF-LCR group than the HF-Control group, but triglyceride levels, which were increased by high fat diets were not changed by significantly by LCR or ginger extracts. Fecal lipid excretion was higher in the HF-LCR and HF-Gin groups, but cholesterol excretion was lower in the HF-Gin group than in the HF-Control group. The activities of liver cytosolic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme were lower in the HF-LCR + Gin group than in the HF-Control group. Serum adiponectin levels did not differ among the five groups, while leptin level was lower in the HF-Gin group and C-reactive protein levels were lower in the HF-Gin and the HF-LCR + Gin groups than in the HF-Control group. It is concluded that LCR can be utilized as an ingredient for lipid-lowering functional foods in the form of purified extract and addition of small amount of ginger extract would be useful for reducing one of the inflammatory cytokines to help prevent atherosclerosis.

Keyword

Lycii Cortex Radicis; ginger; serum lipid; malic enzyme; C-reactive protein

MeSH Terms

Adiponectin
Animals
Atherosclerosis
C-Reactive Protein
Catechols
Cholesterol
Cytokines
Cytosol
Diet
Diet, High-Fat
Fatty Alcohols
Functional Food
Ginger
Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase
Humans
Leptin
Liver
Lycium
Male
Rats
Tyramine
Adiponectin
C-Reactive Protein
Catechols
Cholesterol
Cytokines
Fatty Alcohols
Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase
Leptin
Tyramine

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Serum lipid levels in the five groups of rats fed experimental diets for four weeks. LF and HF; 5% and 15% (w/w) fat in diet without test extracts, HF-LCR, and HF-Gin; 15% fat and 0.02% tyramine and gingerol from root bark of Lycium chenese Miller and ginger, respectively, HF-LCR + Gin; 15% fat and 0.01% LCR tyramine and 0.002% gingerol. Bars are means ± SE from nine rats and those with different alphabet letters in the same types of lipid are significantly different at p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 Liver lipid levels in the five groups of rats fed experimental diets for four weeks. LF and HF; 5% and 15% (w/w) fat in diet without test extracts, HF-LCR, and HF-Gin; 15% fat and 0.02% tyramine and gingerol from root bark of Lycium chenese Miller and ginger, respectively, HF-LCR + Gin; 15% fat and 0.01% LCR tyramine and 0.002% gingerol. Bars are means ± SE from nine rats and those with different alphabet letters in the same types of lipid are significantly different at p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 3 Fecal lipid excretions in the five groups of rats fed experimental diets for four weeks. LF and HF; 5% and 15% (w/w) fat in diet without test extracts, HF-LCR, and HF-Gin; 15% fat and 0.02% tyramine and gingerol from root bark of Lycium chenese Miller and ginger, respectively, HF-LCR + Gin; 15% fat and 0.01% LCR tyramine and 0.002% gingerol. Bars are means ± SE from nine rats and those with different alphabet letters in the same types of lipid are significantly different at p < 0.05.

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