Influence of flavonoid-rich fraction from Spermacoce hispida seed on PPAR-alpha gene expression, antioxidant redox status, protein metabolism and marker enzymes in high-fat-diet fed STZ diabetic rats.

We investigated the influence of the flavonoid-rich fraction from Spermacoce hispida seed (S-Frf) on PPAR-alpha gene expression, plasma and erythrocyte antioxidants status, protein metabolism, and marker enzymes in diabetic hyperlipidemic rats. Hyperlipidemia was induced by feeding a 20% high fat diet (HFD) to male albino Wistar rats for 66 days. Diabetes was induced on the 17th day by a single i.p. injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). When compared with diabetic hyperlipid-emic rats, plasma TBARS and LOOH levels decreased, the activities of enzymic antioxidants (SOD, CAT, GPx) and plasma GSH levels increased in the S-Frf fed group. The activities of plasma hepatic markers serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase, and levels of plasma urea, uric acid, creatinine, globulin, A/G ratio significantly decreased, whereas liver weight, total protein, and albumin increased. Oral administration of S-Frf up-regulates PPAR-alpha (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha) gene expression, activates fatty acid catabolism, and is involved in the control of lipoprotein assembly in liver. The results show that S-Frf has an antihyperlipidemic effect, improves antioxidant status, and alleviates liver and kidney damage associated with HFD-fed-STZ rats by up-regulating PPAR-alpha mRNA.