Antiatherogenic and antioxidative effects of Houttuynia cordata extracts in rats fed a high-fat diet

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of ethanolic extracts from Houttuynia cordata on the serum lipid profile and hepatic lipid peroxidation in rats. Animals were fed either a normal or high-fat diet (HFD) containing 0, 1 or 5% H. cordata extracts for 8 weeks. Dietary supplementation of H. cordata extracts at 1 and 5% normalized the HFD-induced weight gain in rats without a significant change in food intake. The H. cordata extracts dose-dependently increased serum HDL cholesterol levels in HFD-fed rats, resulting in a more than 2.5-fold decrease in atherogenic index. Lipid hydroperoxide content in the liver was significantly increased by HFD feeding, and the supplementation of H. cordata extracts at 5% reversed the hydroperoxide content to the level in the normally fed control group. Consistent with reduced hepatic lipid hydroperoxide, animals fed H. cordata extracts exhibited reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels in the liver and serum. These findings suggest that the ethanolic extracts from H. cordata reduces atherogenic risk and hepatic oxidative damage induced by HFD consumption in rats.