Effect of trans-dehydrocrotonin, a 19-nor-clerodane diterpene from Croton cajucara on experimental hypertriglyceridaemia and hypercholesterolaemia induced by Triton WR 1339 (tyloxapol) in mice.

The effect of trans-dehydrocrotonin (t-DCTN) from Croton cajucara Benth. was investigated in mice on Triton WR 1339 (tyloxapol)-induced hypercholesterolaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia. Mice treated with single application of tyloxapol (400 mg/kg, i.p.) demonstrated significantly increased blood levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides at 24 h and 48 h after its injection, compared to normal controls. These increases were found to be markedly suppressed in animals treated orally with 25 and 50 mg/kg t-DCTN or 100 mg/kg gemfibrozil, an established antihypercholesterolaemic drug. These results suggest that t-DCTN may be a suitable candidate for combating pathologies associated with hyperlipaemia.