Mechanism of action of antiatherogenic and related effects of <i>Ficus bengalensis </i>Linn. flavonoids in experimental animals

Abstract

One month treatment of alloxan diabetic Jogs with a glycoside, viz. leucopelargonin derivative (100 mg/kg/day) isolated from the bark of <i>F. </i><i>bengaiensis </i>decreased fasting blood sugar and glycosylated haemoglobin by 34% and 28% respectively. Body weight was maintained in both the treated groups while the same was decreased significantly by 10% in the control group. In cholesterol diet fed rats, as the atherogenic index and the hepatic bile acid level and the faecal excretion of bile acids and neutral sterols increased, the HMG CoA reductase and lipogenic enzyme activities in liver and lipoprotien

lipase activity in heart and adipose tissue and plasma LCAT activity and the incorporation of labelled acetate into free and ester cholesterol in liver decreased significantly. On treatment with the two ficus navonoids, viz. leucopelargonin and leucocyanin derivatives and another navonoid quercetin (100 mg/kg/day)the above said effects except on bile acids and

sterols and lipogenic enzymes were significantly reversed in the cholesterol fed rats. However in the treated rats the hepatic level of bile acids and the faecal excretion of bile acids and neutral sterols still further increased and the action of lipogenic enzyme glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase was still further decreased. These effects of leueopelargonidin and quercetin were better than that of the second. Toxicity studies are required to be carried out to find out if the ficus navonoids could be used as health promoters as they arc hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant in action.