No abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of pine (Pinus densiflora) needle extracts on hepatic antioxidative system in rats fed high-cholesterol diet. Eight-week old Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups; normal diet group (CON), 0.5% cholesterol diet group (0.5% CHOL), 0.5% cholesterol diet and pine needle extracts prepared by using hot water group (HOT water), and 0.5% cholesterol diet and pine needle extracts prepared by using sub-supercritical CO2 group (Sub-supercritical). The serum ALP, AST, and ALT activities were increased by 0.5% cholesterol diet supplementation, but treatment with pine needle extracts showed decrease compared with 0.5% CHOL group. The SOD activity in liver at 0.5% cholesterol diet group was more decreased than control group while Sub-supercritical group had significantly higher SOD activity than 0.5% CHOL group. Moreover, groups with pine needle extracts supplementation had higher level of GPx in liver than 0.5% cholesterol diet group. These results suggest that pine needle extracts increased antioxidative activities.