Anti-hyperlipidemia and anti-obesity properties of garcinia atroviridis and camellia sinensis extracts in high-fat diet mice†1

Abstract

Hyperlipidemia and obesity are risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension among the world’s population. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of green tea (Camellia sinesis) and Garcinia (Garcinia atroviridis) extracts in high-fat diet mice. The mice were fed with a high-fat diet and orally administrated extracts once daily. The extracts displayed a significant decrease in body weight, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, total cholesterol, atherosclerosis index (AI), and glucose levels in blood. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol significantly increased. Treatment with the extracts reduced the lipid peroxidation marker, malondialdehyde (MDA), and indicated the pathohistology of lower fat cells deposited in liver tissues. In in vitro studies, the extracts have been identified to be capable of inhibiting the activity of amylase and glucoside enzymes and scavenging free radicals. Moreover, both green tea and Garcinia extracts showed non-toxicity as presented by the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). In conclusion, the pathogenic factors involved in atherosclerosis were reduced by green tea and Garcinia extracts, and both extracts could be useful for better prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.