Michał Majewski1, Bernadetta Lis2, Jerzy Juśkiewicz3, Katarzyna Ognik4, Dariusz Jedrejek5, Anna Stochmal5, Beata Olas2. 1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, UWM, 10-082, Olsztyn, Poland. Electronic address: michal.majewski@uwm.edu.pl. 2. Department of General Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, 90-236, Łódź, Poland. 3. Division of Food Science, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland. 4. Department of Biochemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences, 20-950, Lublin, Poland. 5. Department of Biochemistry and Crop Quality, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, State Research Institute, 24-100, Puławy, Poland.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Taraxacum officinale (L.), commonly called dandelion has been used for centuries as a natural medicine to treat inflammatory diseases including some metabolic alterations associated with obesity. AIM OF THE STUDY: Based on animal experiments this study aims to explore the potential mechanisms of action of T. officinale flower water syrup (TOFS) together with a normal-fat diet in the intervention of obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Obese male albino-Wistar rats (n = 8) at 25 weeks of age were fed with a normal-fat diet with or without added 27.82% TOFS (w/w) for 4 weeks. The reactivity of thoracic aorta and antioxidant capacity were studied. RESULTS: TOFS delivered daily 926.8 μg of L-chicoric acid, 20.19 μg of luteolin and 3.379 g of sucrose. TOFS showed beneficial effects by regulating blood lipids (HDL, x1.11-fold increase), thereby lowering the risk factors for atherosclerosis (TC/HDL, x0.90-fold). The antioxidant status was improved via an increase in plasma superoxide radical scavenging (SOD, x1.6-fold) and a decrease in lipid peroxidation (MDA, x0.81-fold). Moreover, the following were decreased: Cu (x0.53-fold), Zn (x0.72-fold) and the Cu/Zn molar ratio (x0.60-fold). A marker for liver damage/disease was beneficially decreased (ALP, x0.87-fold). TOFS modulated in a significant way COX-depended relaxation to ACh (p = 0.05) but not to CORM-2 (p = 0.1651) in isolated thoracic arteries, by decreased participation of vasoconstrictor prostanoids. The vascular contraction to prostaglandin F2α was also decreased (x0.62-fold). We observed no change in the feed intake, body weight, organ-to-body weight ratio, blood glucose, CAT, FRAP, AST, ALT, TBARS/carbonyls (in heart, liver, kidneys, spleen) and carbonyls (in blood plasma, thoracic arteries); as well as F2-isoprostanes in urine. Vascular response to the vasodilators ACh, SNP, A23187, CORM-2, pinacidil, NS-1619 and to the vasoconstrictors NA, U-46619, ET-1 as well as hyperpolarizing mechanism(s) were not modified. CONCLUSIONS: TOFS possesses beneficial properties by regulating prostanoids and antioxidant status.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Taraxacum officinale (L.), commonly called dandelion has been used for centuries as a natural medicine to treat inflammatory diseases including some metabolic alterations associated with obesity. AIM OF THE STUDY: Based on animal experiments this study aims to explore the potential mechanisms of action of T. officinale flower water syrup (TOFS) together with a normal-fat diet in the intervention of obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Obese male albino-Wistar rats (n = 8) at 25 weeks of age were fed with a normal-fat diet with or without added 27.82% TOFS (w/w) for 4 weeks. The reactivity of thoracic aorta and antioxidant capacity were studied. RESULTS: TOFS delivered daily 926.8 μg of L-chicoric acid, 20.19 μg of luteolin and 3.379 g of sucrose. TOFS showed beneficial effects by regulating blood lipids (HDL, x1.11-fold increase), thereby lowering the risk factors for atherosclerosis (TC/HDL, x0.90-fold). The antioxidant status was improved via an increase in plasma superoxide radical scavenging (SOD, x1.6-fold) and a decrease in lipid peroxidation (MDA, x0.81-fold). Moreover, the following were decreased: Cu (x0.53-fold), Zn (x0.72-fold) and the Cu/Zn molar ratio (x0.60-fold). A marker for liver damage/disease was beneficially decreased (ALP, x0.87-fold). TOFS modulated in a significant way COX-depended relaxation to ACh (p = 0.05) but not to CORM-2 (p = 0.1651) in isolated thoracic arteries, by decreased participation of vasoconstrictor prostanoids. The vascular contraction to prostaglandin F2α was also decreased (x0.62-fold). We observed no change in the feed intake, body weight, organ-to-body weight ratio, blood glucose, CAT, FRAP, AST, ALT, TBARS/carbonyls (in heart, liver, kidneys, spleen) and carbonyls (in blood plasma, thoracic arteries); as well as F2-isoprostanes in urine. Vascular response to the vasodilators ACh, SNP, A23187, CORM-2, pinacidil, NS-1619 and to the vasoconstrictors NA, U-46619, ET-1 as well as hyperpolarizing mechanism(s) were not modified. CONCLUSIONS: TOFS possesses beneficial properties by regulating prostanoids and antioxidant status.