Modulation of antioxidant enzymes activities and lipid peroxidation products in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats fed ortanique peel polymethoxylated flavones extract

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ortanique peel polymethoxylated flavones extract (PMFort) on antioxidant enzymes activities and lipid peroxide levels in organs of hypercholesterolemic and normal rats. Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were fed high cholesterol diets supplemented with 1.5% PMFort and niacin respectively for 49 days. Hypercholesterolemic rats fed PMFort had significant reductions in malondialdehyde levels in the liver and brain compared to untreated hypercholesterolemic control rats. This reduction also occurred in the brain of the rats fed niacin. The activities of catalase, glutathione reductase, transferase and peroxidase were significantly reduced in the spleen, brain and liver of hypercholesterolemic rats fed PMFort compared to control. The activities of these enzymes were only reduced in the brain and liver of rats fed niacin. The results would suggest that PMFort modulates hypercholesterolemia-associated organ injury and oxidative stress in rat organs. PMFort could therefore be a suitable candidate of natural origin for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of hypercholesterolemia-associated oxidative stress and organ injury.