Effects of Cydonia oblonga Miller leaf and fruit flavonoids on blood lipids and anti-oxydant potential in hyperlipidemia rats.

Objective: To study the effects of Cydonia oblonga Miller (COM) total flavonoids (TF) from leaves and fruit on the blood lipid and antioxidant potentials using hyperlipidaemic rat models.

Methods: Hyperlipidaemic rat models were created with high-lipid emulsion. Rats were distributed into normal controls, hyperlipidaemic models, and daily high (160mg/kg), medium (80mg/kg) and low (40mg/kg) TF from leaves and fruit and simvastatin (5mg/kg) groups. After four weeks, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), as well as hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured.

Results: Compared with the hyperlipidaemic model group, TF significantly reduced serum TC, TG, LDL-C (P<0.01), ALT and AST (P<0.01 or P<0.05) and increased HDL-C (P<0.05 or P<0.01). TF also reduced MDA (P<0.01 or P<0.01).

Conclusions: COM total flavonoids can effectively regulate the metabolism of lipids, and remove oxygen free radicals. This confirms its potential value in the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidaemia.