Changes in the brain cortex of rabbits on a cholesterol-rich diet following supplementation with a herbal extract of Tribulus terrestris
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Dosyalar
Tarih
2009
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
F Hernandez
Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
Özet
Extracts of the medicinal herb Tribulus terrestris (TT) are used for treating various diseases. The saponins, a component of TT, play a role in regulating blood pressure and in treatment of hyperlipidemia. The aim of the study was to investigate the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural alterations in the cerebral cortex of experimental rabbits on a cholesterol rich diet treated with TT. The rabbits were divided into three groups and followed for 12 weeks as control group (CG); experimental group I (EG-I), fed with a cholesterol-rich diet; experimental group II (EG-II), treated with an extract of TT (5mg/kg/day) after a cholesterol-rich diet of 4 weeks. In EG-I there were ultrastructural changes, including mitochondrial degeneration, increased lipofuscin pigments, myelin sheath damage with axoplasmic shrinkage and electron dense granules in the neurovascular unit. The number of synapses apparently decreased in both experimental groups. Administration of TT extract in EG-II led to marked ultrastructural alterations in neurons, including decreased mitochondrial degeneration (P<0.001) and extensive oedematous areas in the neurovascular unit. However, in EG-II, lamellar myelin, axonal structures and mitochondria were well protected. These alterations possibly indicate that saponins have an effect on the neurons either directly or by its conversion to steroidal saponins. Therefore, these findings add further evidence supporting the protective claims of TT in cerebral architecture in dietary induced hyperlipidemia.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
Tribulus terrestris, Cerebral cortex, Rabbit, Ultrastructure, Saponin, Nonsynaptic Mitochondria, Lipid-Composition, Rat-Brain, Disease, Sheep, Protodioscin, Metabolism, Epithelium, Pregnancy, Villi
Kaynak
Histology and Histopathology
WoS Q Değeri
Q2
Scopus Q Değeri
Q2
Cilt
24
Sayı
6
