Vascular Protective Effects of Morinda citrifolia Leaf Extract on Postmenopausal Rats Fed with Thermoxidized Palm Oil Diet: Evidence at Microscopic Level

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is now well understood as an inflammatory disease instead of lipid storage disorder; however, the conventional treatment is not targeted on treating the inflammation. Morinda citrifolia L. (Rubiaceae) leaf or noni leaf, which is a medicinal food (ulam) used in Traditional Malay Medicine to prevent chronic diseases, may have the potential to be formulated into a functional antiatherosclerotic agent. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Morinda citrifolia leaf extract (MCLE) treatment at histological and ultrastructural level, comparing it with Simvastatin. Thirty-eight female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups: Sham (Sham), ovariectomized (OVX), ovariectomized with Simvastatin 10 mg/kg (OVX+ST), ovariectomized with low dose MC 500 mg/kg (OVX+MCLD), and ovariectomized with high dose MC 1000 mg/kg (OVX+MCHD). Atherosclerosis was induced by producing oestrogen deficiency through ovariectomy and feeding with thermoxidized palm oil (TPO) diet for 12 weeks along with the treatment. The results revealed significantly (P<0.05) lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the group treated with MCHD compared to the untreated OVX, whereas the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was significantly higher in the untreated OVX group compared to the Sham group. Treatment with MCHD also significantly lowered the total cholesterol (TC) level compared to the OVX. The OVX group showed significantly lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level compared to the Sham group. The untreated OVX group showed evident histological and ultrastructural features of vascular inflammation such as blood cells accumulation in the lumen, vacuolation of the endothelial cells, subendothelial space widening, elastic fibres disruption, increased intima media thickness (IMT), smooth muscle cells fragmentation, and perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) deposition. All these pathological changes were less seen in the groups treated with MCLE. In conclusion, we reported the mechanism of antiatherosclerotic property of MCLE through lipids elimination and anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, we do not recommend the use of statin in the absence of dyslipidemia as it causes PVAT deposition.

Sitagliptin Attenuates the Cognitive Deficits in L-Methionine-Induced Vascular Dementia in Rats

“…Furthermore, previous studies attributed the vascular dysfunction to the increased lipid concentration besides the initiation of inflammatory processes [ 56 , 60 ]. The reported accumulated blood cells and perivascular adipose tissue deposition indicated the presence of active inflammation as clarified by previous study [ 61 ].…”

Hepatoprotective Effects of Morinda citrifolia Leaf Extract on Ovariectomized Rats Fed with Thermoxidized Palm Oil Diet: Evidence at Histological and Ultrastructural Level

“…Rare phytoactive substances with health promoting potential isolated from the leaf includes dehydromethoxygaertheroside, dehydroepoxymethoxygaertheroside, borreiagenin [14], citrifoside, pheophorbide A, pyropheophorbide A, ursolic acid [15], and flavanoids [16]. Previously, we have reported that MC leaf extract possesses antiatherosclerotic effect through its anti-inflammatory activity in the aorta [17]. Since the liver is an indicator of vascular health by secreting and regulating various molecular cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, we further investigated the mechanism of action of MC leaf by looking into the detailed histological and ultrastructural changes in the liver [18].…”

The Hepatoprotective Effects of Ethanolic Extract Noni Fruits (Morinda citrifolia L.) on Rats (Rattus norvegicus) Liver with SGPT and Histopathological Evaluations

“…As an anti-cancer compound, Nordamnacanthal (NDAM) has links with NK cells, T-helper, and cytokines in the body [27]. In addition, the incidence of atherosclerosis associated with TNF-and IL-1B cytokines can also be lowered and affect blood lipid profiles [28].…”