Abstract

The present study was to investigate the effects of Lycii Cortex Radicis (LCR), the root bark of lycium (Lycium chenese Miller) and ginger (Gin) on body lipid status and serum levels of cytokines. Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats weighing $193.6{\pm}16.8g$ were divided into five groups, including one low fat (LF) and four high fat groups, i.e. HF-Control, HF-LCR, HF-Gin and HF-LCR + Gin groups. Diets for HF-LCR, HF-Gin and HF-LCR + Gin groups contained purified extracts having 0.2 g LCR tyramine, ginerol and 0.1 g tyramine plus 0.02 g gingerol per kg, respectively. Compared with those of the HF-Control total serum cholesterol level decreased, and HDL-cholesterol level increased in the HF-LCR group and serum triglyceride levels decreased in the three experimental groups fed the purified extracts. Liver cholesterol level was lower in the HF-LCR group than the HF-Control group, but triglyceride levels, which were increased by high fat diets were not changed by significantly by LCR or ginger extracts. Fecal lipid excretion was higher in the HF-LCR and HF-Gin groups, but cholesterol excretion was lower in the HF-Gin group than in the HF-Control group. The activities of liver cytosolic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme were lower in the HF-LCR + Gin group than in the HF-Control group. Serum adiponectin levels did not differ among the five groups, while leptin level was lower in the HF-Gin group and C-reactive protein levels were lower in the HF-Gin and the HF-LCR + Gin groups than in the HF-Control group. It is concluded that LCR can be utilized as an ingredient for lipid-lowering functional foods in the form of purified extract and addition of small amount of ginger extract would be useful for reducing one of the inflammatory cytokines to help prevent atherosclerosis.

Keywords

• Lycii Cortex Radicis;
• ginger;
• serum lipid;
• malic enzyme;
• C-reactive protein