Hypolipemic effect of water extracts of Picrorrhiza rhizoma in PX-407 induced hyperlipemic ICR mouse model with hepatoprotective effects: a prevention study.

The preventive hypolipemic effect of water extract of Picrorrhiza rhizoma (PR) was observed in Poloxamer (PX)-407 induced hyperlipemic mice with their hepatoprotective effects. Doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of PR extracts were given orally once a day for 12 weeks initiated with intraperitoneal injection of PX-407 (0.5 g/kg), and changes in body weight and gains, liver weight, serum aspartate transferase (AST) and alanine transferase (ALT) levels were monitored with serum low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. The efficacy of PX-407 was compared to that of 10mg/kg of simvastatin (SIMVA). No meaningful changes in the body weight were detected in all dosing groups compared to that of vehicle control group. Dramatic decrease of both absolute and relative liver weight was dose-dependently observed in all PR extracts dosing groups compared to that of vehicle control group. The serum AST and ALT levels were significantly and dose-dependently decreased in PR extracts dosing groups. However, slight increase of liver weight, serum AST and ALT levels were detected in SIMVA-dosing groups. The serum LDL, triglyceride and total cholesterol levels were dose-dependently decreased in PR extracts dosing groups and SIMVA-dosing group compared to that of vehicle control group, respectively. The serum HDL levels were slightly but dose-dependently increased in PR extracts dosing groups compared to that in vehicle control group, respectively. However, the efficacy on the serum lipid levels of PR extracts was lower than that of SIMVA-about 200 mg/kg of PR extracts which showed similar effect compared to that of SIMVA 10mg/kg. On the basis of these results, it is concluded that water extract of PR has a relatively good favorable preventive effect on the PX-407 inducing hyperlipemia with favorable hepatoprotective effect.