Antidyslipidemic and antioxidant activity of Pinus roxburghii needles

摘要

Pinus roxburghii commonly known as chir pine contains a substance turpene, in abundance and is known for several medicinal properties. The needles were investigated for antidyslipidemic activity in high fat diet (HFD)-fed hyperlipidemic Golden-Syrian hamsters. The alcoholic extracts of P. roxburghii needle significantly decreased the plasma triglyceride (TG) by 38%, total cholesterol (TC) 23%, glycerol (Gly) 44%, and low density lipoproteins-cholesterol (LDL-C) 27% accompanied with increase in high density lipoproteins-cholesterol and its ratio with total cholesterol (HDL–C/TC ratio) by 28% at the dose of 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w.). Further extraction with several solvents exhibited significant lipid lowering in hexane soluble and n-butanol soluble fractions. These fractions lowered plasma TG by 56 and 53%, TC 41 and 36%, Gly 51 and 29%, LDL-C 51 and 44%, and increased the HDL–C/TC ratio by 75 and 57%, respectively. Antioxidant activity of all the four fractions and alcoholic extract was assessed by Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, and activity was found to be significant in alcoholic extract and n-butanol insoluble fractions as capacity to scavenge the 2,2′-azino-bis-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulphonate] (ABTS•+) radical cation in vitro.