Purple perilla frutescens extracts containing α-asarone inhibit inflammatory atheroma formation and promote hepatic HDL cholesterol uptake in dyslipidemic apoE-deficient mice

Sin-Hye Park; Young Eun Sim; Min-Kyung Kang; Dong Yeon Kim; Il-Jun Kang; Soon Sung Lim; Young-Hee Kang

doi:10.4162/nrp.2023.17.6.1099

Purple perilla frutescens extracts containing α-asarone inhibit inflammatory atheroma formation and promote hepatic HDL cholesterol uptake in dyslipidemic apoE-deficient mice

Nutr Res Pract. 2023 Dec;17(6):1099-1112. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2023.17.6.1099. Epub 2023 Aug 28.

Authors

Sin-Hye Park¹, Young Eun Sim¹, Min-Kyung Kang², Dong Yeon Kim², Il-Jun Kang¹, Soon Sung Lim¹, Young-Hee Kang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Korean Institute of Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea.
² Department of Food and Nutrition, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Korea.

Abstract

Background/objectives: Dyslipidemia causes metabolic disorders such as atherosclerosis and fatty liver syndrome due to abnormally high blood lipids. Purple perilla frutescens extract (PPE) possesses various bioactive compounds such as α-asarone, chlorogenic acid and rosmarinic acid. This study examined whether PPE and α-asarone improved dyslipidemia-associated inflammation and inhibited atheroma formation in apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice, an experimental animal model of atherosclerosis.

Materials/methods: ApoE-deficient mice were fed on high cholesterol-diet (Paigen's diet) and orally administrated with 10-20 mg/kg PPE and α-asarone for 10 wk.

Results: The Paigen's diet reduced body weight gain in apoE-deficient mice, which was not restored by PPE or α-asarone. PPE or α-asarone improved the plasma lipid profiles in Paigen's diet-fed apoE-deficient mice, and despite a small increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and very LDL were significantly reduced. Paigen's diet-induced systemic inflammation was reduced in PPE or α-asarone-treated apoE-deficient mice. Supplying PPE or α-asarone to mice lacking apoE suppressed aorta atherogenesis induced by atherogenic diet. PPE or α-asarone diminished aorta accumulation of CD68- and/or F4/80-positive macrophages induced by atherogenic diet in apoE-deficient mice. Treatment of apoE-deficient mice with PPE and α-asarone resulted in a significant decrease in plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein level and an increase in lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase reduced by supply of Paigen's diet. Supplementation of PPE and α-asarone enhanced the transcription of hepatic apoA1 and SR-B1 reduced by Paigen's diet in apoE-deficient mice.

Conclusions: α-Asarone in PPE inhibited inflammation-associated atheroma formation and promoted hepatic HDL-C trafficking in dyslipidemic mice.

Keywords: Alpha-asarone; apolipoproteins E; atheroma; high density lipoprotein, purple perilla frutescens extract.