Antiatherogenic properties of acetone extract of Alpinia zerumbet seeds

Molecules. 2012 May 25;17(6):6237-48. doi: 10.3390/molecules17066237.

Abstract

Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the principal risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. In this study, we used several methods to investigate the ability of the acetone extract from rhizomes, stems, leaves, flowers, pericarps and seeds of Alpinia zerumbet to inhibit atherosclerosis in vitro. The seed extract had the strongest activity against tyrosinase, pancreatic lipase (PL), 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) and LDL oxidation activities (IC₅₀ = 2.30 ± 0.02, 5.00 ± 0.07, 1.29 ± 0.07 and 15.40 ± 0.86 μg/mL, respectively), amongst all different parts. It also had similar effects to the positive controls. Most of the extracts showed partial agonistic properties towards estrogenic activity. Cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione, a steroid present only in the seed extract seems to be the compound responsible for these activities. The results showed that cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione had similar ability to curcumin and quercetin against PL and LDL oxidation (IC₅₀ = 19.50 ± 1.17 and 16.12 ± 1.43 μg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione (IC₅₀ = 34.21 ± 1.31 μg/mL) had higher inhibition against 15-LO than quercetin (IC₅₀ = 54.79 ± 1.12 μg/mL).

MeSH terms

  • Acetone / chemistry
  • Alpinia / chemistry*
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Atherosclerosis / drug therapy
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Lipoproteins, LDL / metabolism
  • Lipoxygenase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Lipoxygenase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Oxidation-Reduction / drug effects
  • Pancrelipase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Seeds / chemistry*
  • Solvents / chemistry

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Lipoproteins, LDL
  • Lipoxygenase Inhibitors
  • Plant Extracts
  • Solvents
  • Acetone
  • Pancrelipase
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase