Baicalein neutralizes hypercholesterolemia-induced aggravation of oxidative injury in rats

Abstract

Background: Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for several cardiovascular and metabolic diseases through triggering oxidative and pro-inflammatory cascades. Baicalein (BL) is a natural flavone with multiple therapeutic properties. Thus, the present study aims to highlight the protective value associated with BL supplementation in hypercholesterolemic rats. Keywords : hypercholesterolemia, baicalein, inflammation, oxidative stress Methods: In this context, animals were fed for sex weeks on high cholesterol diet (HCD) then BL oral treatments in two doses (25 and 50 mg/kg/day) was started and continued for four weeks. In serum, lipid profile, liver enzymes, cardiac enzymes, renal markers, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-10 (IL10), caspase-3, nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin-2 (PG-2) levels were estimated. In renal, hepatic and cardiac cells, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were measured. Results: In hypercholesterolemic animals, the altered levels of lipoproteins, aminotransferases, creatine kinases and urea were significantly corrected by BL. Inflammatory and apoptosis biomarkers were also markedly attenuated in HCD groups following BL treatment. Hypercholesterolemia considerably evoked the lipid peroxidation product, TBARS, and oxidative radicals in cardiac, hepatic and renal tissues, which were attenuated by BL treatment, particularly the 50 mg/kg/day dose. BL improved the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) following their suppression in HCD groups. In addition, the histological alterations induced by cholesterol overload in the cardiac, hepatic and renal tissues were ameliorated by BL supplementation. Conclusions: As a conclusion, the up-regulated oxidative damage, inflammation and necrosis observed within the hypercholesterolemic animals could be enhanced by co-administration BL. Activation of the cellular antioxidant enzymes alone with suppression of inflammatory cytokines may be involved to mediate these prominent effects.