Effects of Pueraria mirifica on Vascular Function in High Cholesterol-fed Rats

Experiments were designed to study the effects of Pueraria mirifica on lipid profile and endothelium-dependent vascular response in hypercholesterolemic rats. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups. The rats were fed normal diet serve as control group. The other 2 groups, rats were fed diet containing 1 % cholesterol (cholesterol group) and 1 % cholesterol supplemented with Pueraria mirifica 100 mg/kg/day (cholesterol+P.mirifica group). After 90 days, blood samples were obtained for the evaluation of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly decreased in the cholesterol+P.mirifica group compared with cholesterol group (p<0.05).

These results indicated that Pueraria mirifica had beneficial effects on cardiovascular system in cholesterol-fed rats by lowering blood total cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol, triglycerides, improving HDL/LDL ratio and restoring endothelium-dependent vascular function.

Auttapongpaiboon, L. Phivthong-ngam, Y. Sanvarinda, A. Apisariyakul and S. Srichairat
Interdepartment of Pharmacology, Graduate School, Chulalongkom University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

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