ANTIHYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECT OF Arcangelisia flava STEM EXTRACT IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC RATS

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases especially coronary heart
disease (CHD) is the main disease cause death in the
world. The mortality rate of CHD (26.4%) is higher
than the mortality rate of cancer (6%). Indonesian
Health Department in 2002 reported that one of
four people were died due to CHD. Hyperlipidemia is
a major risk factor for CHD. Hyperlipidemia is lipid
metabolism disorder characterized by an elevation
of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride and low density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 1.
Arcangelisia flava Merr is a plant belongs to
Menispesmaceae family, comonly known as yellow
root. A flava is Indonesian medicinal plant that have
been used traditionally for malaria, diabetes mellitus
(DM), urinary stones, jaundice, diarrhea and skin
abscess 2,3,4.The water extract of A. flava showed
antimicrobial activity5. Methanolic extract of A. flava
has antioxidant and cytotoxic effect against brine
shrimps and breast cancer cells (MCF-7)4. The Ethyl
acetate fraction of A. flava have been proven to
reduce blood sugar level of diabetic rats6. The major
chemical compounds of stem of A. flava is alkaloid
including berberine, palmatine, jathorrizine and
columbamime7. Flavonoid, saponin, tanin and
furanoditerpene are other compounds of A. flava8.
Berberine isolated from Coptis sinensis can decrease
total cholesterol and triglycerides by increasing
expression of the hepatic low density lipoprotein
receptor (LDLR)9.
Our previous study showed that methanol extract of
leaf of A. flava reduced TC and LDL cholesterol.
These extract was capable to decrease the
atherogenic index value and the number of foam
cells10,11. Antihyperlipidemic effect of A flava was
caused by berberine and flavonoid in the extract.
The berberine content of stem was higher than leaf
of A. flava12. In order to know the antihyperlipidemic
effect of stem extract of A. flava, the influence of
methanolic extract of A. flava stems (EMBAf) on
total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol and
High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels has
been determined in hyperlipidemic induced rats.