Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 2007 March; 28 (3): 398-403; doi: 10.1111/j.1745-7254.2007.00533.x

Aim: To study the effects of osthole on hyperlipidemic fatty liver and investigate the possible mechanisms.

Methods: A rat model with hyperlipidemic fatty liver was successfully established by feeding fatty milk for 6 weeks. The experimental rats were then treated with 5-20 mg/kg osthole for 6 weeks. The mouse hyperlipidemic model was induced by feeding fatty milk when they were treated with 10-20 mg/kg osthole for 3 weeks.

Results: After treatment with osthole, the levels of rat serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol significantly decreased as compared with the fatty liver model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Hepatic weight and its coefficient, the hepatic tissue contents of TC, TG, and malondialdehyde, also significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In fatty milk-induced hyperlipidemic mice, the post-heparin plasma activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL), and total lipase (TL) significantly increased after treatment with 10-20 mg/kg osthole for 3 weeks (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Importantly, the histological evaluation of rat liver demonstrated that osthole dramatically decreased lipid accumulation (P<0.01).

Conclusion: Osthole was found to have therapeutic effects on fatty milk-induced rat fatty liver; the mechanisms might be associated with its anti-oxidation and the elevation of the activities of LPL and HL.

Keywords: osthole; hyperlipidemic fatty liver; pharma-cology