Ameliorations in dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic plaque by the inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase and antioxidant potential of phytoconstituents of an aqueous seed extract of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd in rabbits

PLoS One. 2022 Mar 3;17(3):e0264646. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264646. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

The assigned work was aimed to examine the capability of phytoconstituents of an aqueous seed extract of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase and regression of the atherosclerotic plaque. The chemical fingerprinting of the test extract was assessed by LC-MS/MS. Consequently, the analyses of in-vitro, in-vivo, and in-silico were executed by using the standard protocols. The in-vitro assessment of the test extract revealed 74.1% inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase. In-vivo assessments of the test extract indicated that treated hypercholesterolemic rabbits exhibited a significant (P≤0.001) amelioration in the biomarker indices of the dyslipidaemia i.e., atherogenic index, Castelli risk index(I&II), atherogenic coefficient along with lipid profile. Subsequently, significant reductions were observed in the atherosclerotic plaque and antioxidant levels. The in-silico study of molecular docking shown interactions capabilities of the leading phytoconstituents of the test extract i.e., eicosanoic acid, linoleic acid, and flavan-3-ol with target protein of HMG-CoA reductase. The values of RSMF and potential energy of top docked complexes were show significant interactions. Accordingly, the free energy of solvation, interaction angle, radius of gyration and SASA were shown significant stabilities of top docked complex. The cumulative data of results indicate phytoconstituents of an aqueous seed extract of Acacia senegal have capabilities to inhibit the HMG-CoA reductase and improve the levels of antioxidants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acacia* / metabolism
  • Acyl Coenzyme A
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Dyslipidemias*
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / metabolism
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors* / pharmacology
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA-Reductases, NADP-dependent
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plaque, Atherosclerotic*
  • Rabbits
  • Senegal
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Acyl Coenzyme A
  • Antioxidants
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Plant Extracts
  • 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA-Reductases, NADP-dependent

Grants and funding

Researchers Supporting Project Number (RSP-2021/134), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.