Effects of fruit juices of Citrus sinensis L. and Citrus limon L. on experimental hypercholesterolemia in the rat.

In Citrus juices there are various substances of different chemical nature, some of which possess already-known hypocholesterolemic properties. Therefore it has seemed interesting to evaluate the effects of a prolonged administration of lyophilized juices of Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck and Citrus limon L. Burm fil. in diet-induced rat hypercholesterolemia. Lyophilized Citrus juices were administered for 15 days (by gavage, at the dose of 5g/kg in aqueous veicle in a volume of 0.5 ml/100 g body weight) and 30 days ("ad libitum", instead of tap water, 5g/kg in 1 ml opportunely diluted with water in the proportion 1:3). Cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglyceride plasma levels were assayed. The results obtained showed that Citrus juices significantly increase HDL and lower cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride plasma levels in the rat. In particular, Citrus limon has more marked effect on cholesterol and triglyceride levels, Citrus sinensis is more able to increase HDL levels. Therefore, the prolonged use of Citrus sinensis and Citrus limon juices determines a considerable protection against insurgence of hypercholesterolemia. This experimental design does not allow us to determine the active principles to which pharmacological effects may possibly be attributed; but, on the other hand, it let us reproduce experimentally a situation similar to the inclusion of the Citrus juices in the human diet, which results in low, but continuous, body levels of their active principles.