Pan SY[1], Song XL[2], Lin ZH[2], Yu Q[3], Zhang Y[3], Tai HC[2], Luo G[3], Wang XY[3], Zhu PL[4], Sun N[3], Chu ZS[3], Yu ZL[5], Ko KM[6], Zhang Y[3],
[1] School of Traditional Dai-Thai Medicine, West Yunnan University of Applied Sciences, Jinghong, Yunnan; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
[2] School of Traditional Dai-Thai Medicine, West Yunnan University of Applied Sciences, Jinghong, Yunnan, China.
[3] School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
[4] Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
[5] School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
[6] Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong, China.
Objective: To investigate hypertriglyceridemia and hepatomegaly caused by Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus (FSS) and Schisandra chinensis Fructus (FSC) oils in mice. Methods: Mice were orally administered a single dose of Schisandrae Fructus oils. Serum and hepatic triglyceride (TG), triglyceride transfer protein (TTP), apolipoprotein B48 (Apo B48), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), alanine aminotransfease (ALT) and liver index were measured at 6-120 h post-dosing. Results: FSS and FSC oil caused time and dose-dependent increases in serum and hepatic TG levels, with maximum increases in the liver (by 297% and 340%) at 12 h post-dosing and serum (244% and 439%) at 24-h post-dosing, respectively. Schisandrae Fructus oil treatments also elevated the levels of serum TTP by 51% and 63%, Apo B48 by 152% and 425%, and VLDL by 67% and 38% in mice, respectively. FSS and FSC oil treatments also increased liver mass by 53% and 55% and HGF by 106% and 174%, but lowered serum ALT activity by 38% and 22%, respectively. Fenofibrate pre/ co-treatment attenuated the FSS and FSC oil-induced elevation in serum TG levels by 41% and 49% at 48 h post-dosing, respectively, but increased hepatic TG contents (by 38% and 33%, respectively) at 12 h post-dosing. Conclusions: Our findings provide evidence to support the establishment of a novel mouse model of hypertriglyceridemia by oral administration of FSS oil (mainly increasing endogenous TG) and FSC oil (mainly elevating exogenous TG).