Antihyperlipidemic and antihypertensive effect of a triterpenoid-rich extract from bamboo shavings and vasodilator effect of friedelin on phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction in thoracic aortas of rats.

Triterpenoids, which are widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom, were applied to the development of functional foods as physiological and pharmacological active agents. Some physiological activities of a triterpenoid-rich extract from bamboo shavings (EBS), i.e. antihyperlipidemic and antihypertensive effects, were systematically evaluated in the present study. The results demonstrated that EBS could reduce the serum total cholesterol (TC) and total triglyceride (TG) levels, which are the main factors directly leading to pathological changes in cardiovascular diseases, in hyperlipidemic rats (p < 0.05). Furthermore, EBS could significantly reduce the systolic pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) but its maximum effect time was less than 24 h. Meanwhile, EBS did not influence the heart rate of SHR. On the other hand, the vasodilator effects of friedelin, a main triterpenoid compound separated from EBS, on phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction in the thoracic aortas of rats were also discussed. The results showed that friedelin probably served a function of vasodilator responses in the thoracic aortas of rats in accordance with the antihypertensive effect of EBS. The results also suggested that EBS might prevent some cardiovascular diseases by its impact on lipid metabolism. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.