Comparative Evaluation of Prophylactic and THP of CO (Hawthorn) Fruit with Atorvastatin in Murine Model of Dyslipidemia

Background: Dyslipidemia or hyperlipidemia is a consequential condition resulting from derangement in lipid profile. Standard treatment such as Atorvastatin though beneficial, causes many serious adverse effects thus an alternative like Crataegus oxyacantha (Hawthorn) with hypolipidemic potential was investigated. Aims: To evaluate prophylactic and therapeutic hypolipidemic potential of crataegus oxyacantha (hawthorn) fruit in comparison with atorvastatin in murine model of dyslipidemia through assessing physiological parameter i.e., weight and serum biochemical parameters i.e., lipid profile: TC, TGs, VLDL, LDL and HDL. Study design: This experimental study was carried out in research laboratory of Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College and National Health Research Centre (NHRC), Lahore Methods: A murine study of 60 days was conducted on 64 male albino Wistar rats (Age  6 weeks) divided into 8 groups with 8 rats each weighing 180-200 grams. Group 1 (healthy control) received normal diet and 2 ml of normal saline for 60 days. Group 2 (disease control) received HFD and 2 ml of normal saline for 30 days while 3-5 (prophylactic groups) were given HFD along with ethanolic extract of Crataegus oxyacantha fruit, atorvastatin and their combination in doses of 40 mg/kg OD, 80 mg/kg OD and 20+40 mg/kg OD orally respectively for the same period. 6-8 (therapeutic groups) received ethanolic extract of Crataegus oxyacantha fruit, atorvastatin and their combination respectively after induction of dyslipidemia from 30th till 60th day in the same doses as mentioned above. Each rat was weighed and fasting samples for biochemical parameters were drawn by cardiac puncture in all groups at baseline and repeated at 30th day in all groups while also at 60th day in therapeutic groups as well as healthy control group. The results were analyzed using one way ANOVA for Mean±SD, post hoc Tukey’s test for group comparison in the Graph-Pad Prism (V.5) software. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Study period: This study was conducted from September, 2020-November, 2020. Results: Our murine study concludes that Crataegus oxyacantha (40 mg/kg OD orally) when administered prophylactically and therapeutically shows a noteworthy hypolipidemic potential when compared with Atorvastatin (80mg/kg OD orally). Better results were obtained in prophylactic doses as well as in low dose combination with Atorvastatin (20 mg/kg + 40 mg/kg respectively). Conclusion: Results suggest that Crataegus oxyacantha can be used as alternative in treating hyperlipidemias. Keywords: Crataegus oxyacantha, Atorvastatin, Hyperlipidemia.

Hawthorn fruit extract reduced trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO)-exacerbated atherogenesis in mice via anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation

Background Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Consumption of hawthorn fruit is believed to be cardio-protective, yet whether it is able to suppress the TMAO-induced atherosclerosis remains unexplored. The present study was to investigate the effects of hawthorn fruit extract (HFE) on TMAO-exacerbated atherogenesis. Methods Five groups of male Apolipoprotein E knock-out (ApoE−/−) mice were fed a low-fat diet (LFD), a Western high-fat diet (WD), or one of the three WDs containing 0.2% TMAO (WD + TMAO), 0.2% TMAO plus 1% HFE (WD + TMAO + L-HFE), or 0.2% TMAO plus 2% HFE (WD + TMAO + H-HFE), respectively. After 12-weeks of intervention, plasma levels of TMAO, lipid profile, inflammatory biomarkers, and antioxidant enzyme activities were measured. Atherosclerotic lesions in the thoracic aorta and aortic sinus were evaluated. The sterols and fatty acids in the liver and feces were extracted and measured. Hepatic expressions of inflammatory biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes were analyzed. Results Dietary TMAO accelerated atherogenesis, exacerbated inflammation, and reduced antioxidant capacities in the plasma and the liver. TMAO promoted hepatic cholesterol accumulation by inhibiting fecal excretion of acidic sterols. HFE could dose-dependently reduce the TMAO-aggravated atherosclerosis and inflammation. HFE was also able to reverse the TMAO-induced reduction in antioxidant capacity by up-regulating the expression of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), SOD2, glutathione peroxidase 3 (GSH-Px3), and catalase (CAT) in the liver. Moreover, the hepatic cholesterol content was lowered by HFE via enhanced fecal excretion of neutral and acidic sterols. Conclusions The present results indicated that HFE was able to reduce the TMAO-exacerbated atherogenesis by attenuating inflammation and improving antioxidant capacity at least in mice. Graphic abstract

Determination and Evaluation of Flavonoids in Hawthorn in China

Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge) is a common agricultural product with applications in medicine and food in China. In particular, the flavonoids in hawthorn have important medicinal effects. To quantify the flavonoid contents in hawthorn fruit of different regions in China and scientifically guide the reasonable consumption of hawthorn, 12 flavonoids in hawthorn samples from Shandong (SD), Henan (HN), Shaanxi (SAX), Shanxi (SX), and Jiangsu (JS) were detected by means of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The total flavonoid content in the Henan sample from hawthorn was the highest, at 177.94 μg · g−1, and the Jiangsu sample was the lowest at 124.67 μg · g−1. Epicatechin was the flavonoid with the highest concentration in samples from all regions, and the average content in Shandong samples reached 73.44 μg · g−1. Principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) were also performed to evaluate the effect of different growing regions in China on the contents of flavonoids in hawthorn. We found the Jiangsu samples had obvious regional characteristics, and the compositions of (±)-catechin hydrate, epicatechin and phlorizin dihydrate could be used to distinguish hawthorn grown in Jiangsu from the other four producing areas. The results will provide the reference basis for Chinese hawthorn consumers.