Objective:To study the effect of water extract of Solanum mrvum (S.torvum) on blood lipid and sex hormone levels in high-fat diet (HFD) fed male rats.Methods:Male Wistar rats were maintained on a standard diet or HFD for 10 weeks.During the last 4 weeks,the standard diet groups received distilled water or S.torvum (400 mg/kg) and the HFD groups received distilled water or S.torvum (100,200 and 400 mg/kg).Body weight,lipid profiles,sex hormone,internal organs weight and liver histopathology were all measured.Moreover,kidney function was evaluated using blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels,and liver function by the levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase.Results:The result showed that rats in the HFD control group had increased body weight and hyperlipidemia,but had decreased levels of both testosterone and estradiol.When receiving the S.torvum extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg,treated rats had significantly increased sex hormone levels of both types,and decreased total cholesterol levels,and at a dose of 200 mg/kg,treated rats had significantly decreased levels of triglyceride.Long term administration of the S.torvum did not produce any toxic signs in livers and kidneys.Pathological examinations of livers showed lipid accumulation in the HFD group,but the treatment of S.torvum slightly reduced lipid deposition in liver tissue.Conclusions:S.torvum extract can reverse the level of sex hormones to their normal level and reduce serum cholesterol in HFD-induced obese male rats.Furthermore,the long term oral administration of S.torvum extract is harmless.

Objective: To elucidate the protective effects of rice bran water extract on the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB), and a cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) in the vasculature of high-fat diet-fed rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. Group I served as control, Group II was treated with high-fat diet, and Group III was treated with high-fat diet and rice bran water extract at 2 205 mg/kg/day. After four weeks, the metabolic parameters, malondialdehyde as a marker of oxidative stress, and histological features of the aorta were evaluated. The levels of transcripts and proteins in aorta were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results: In comparison with the Group II, rice bran water extract administration resulted in a significant reduction in body weight, visceral fat tissue weights, blood glucose levels, and serum total-cholesterol and free fatty acid levels in Group III. Serum triglyceride levels tended to decrease in the Group III. Also, rice bran water extract administration obviously decreased malondialdehyde levels in both serum and aorta. Interestingly, rice bran water extract treatment demonstrated a significant up-regulation of eNOS expression and down-regulation of NF-kB p65 and CD36 expressions. Nonetheless, all groups showed normal histology of aorta. Conclusions: Rice bran water extract exhibited vasoprotective effects in the high-fat diet-induced obesity condition by modulating the expression of eNOS, NF-kB, and CD36 and metabolic parameters.

Objective To elucidate the protective effects of rice bran water extract on the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and a cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) in the vasculature of high-fat diet-fed rats. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. Group I served as control, Group II was treated with high-fat diet, and Group III was treated with high-fat diet and rice bran water extract at 2 205 mg/kg/day. After four weeks, the metabolic parameters, malondialdehyde as a marker of oxidative stress, and histological features of the aorta were evaluated. The levels of transcripts and proteins in aorta were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results In comparison with the Group II, rice bran water extract administration resulted in a significant reduction in body weight, visceral fat tissue weights, blood glucose levels, and serum total-cholesterol and free fatty acid levels in Group III. Serum triglyceride levels tended to decrease in the Group III. Also, rice bran water extract administration obviously decreased malondialdehyde levels in both serum and aorta. Interestingly, rice bran water extract treatment demonstrated a significant up-regulation of eNOS expression and down-regulation of NF-κB p65 and CD36 expressions. Nonetheless, all groups showed normal histology of aorta. Conclusions Rice bran water extract exhibited vasoprotective effects in the high-fat diet-induced obesity condition by modulating the expression of eNOS, NF-κB, and CD36 and metabolic parameters.