TRICHOSANTHES CUCUMERINA FRUIT EXTENUATES DYSLIPIDEMIA, PROTEIN OXIDATION, LIPID PEROXIDATION AND DNA FRAGMENTATION IN THE LIVER OF HIGH-FAT DIET-FED RATS

The effect of Trichosanthes cucumerina fruit pulp extract on dyslipidemia, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation in the liver of high-fat diet-fed rats was investigated. High-fat diet-mediated alterations in liver and serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, and alanine and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly (P<0.05) reversed by the T.cucumerina pulp extract. The extract increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the mitochondria and post-mitochondria fractions of rat liver. The increase significantly (P<0.05) attenuated high-fat diet-mediated reductions in antioxidant enzyme activities. High-fat diet-mediated elevation in the levels of conjugated dienes, lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl and DNA fragmentation in rat liver was dose-dependently lowered by the extract. The data obtained from this study showed that the T.cucumerina fruit pulp extract palliated high-fat diet-mediated dyslipidemia, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation in rats.