Nutr Res Pract.  2011 Oct;5(5):412-420.

Study on the hypochlolesterolemic and antioxidative effects of tyramine derivatives from the root bark of Lycium chenese Miller

• Cho SH
• Park EJ
• Kim EO
• Choi SW

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the hypocholesterolemic effect and potential of tyramine derivatives from Lycii Cortex Radicis (LCR), the root bark of lycium (Lycium chenese Miller) in reducing lipid peroxidation. The activities of enzymes, hepatic 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl (HMG) CoA reductase and acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) and LDL oxidation were measured in vitro and animal experiments were also performed by feeding LCR extracts to rats. The test compounds employed for in vitro study were trans-N-p-coumaroyltyramine (CT) and trans-N-feruloyltyramine (FT), LCR components, N-(p-coumaroyl)serotonin (CS) and N-feruloylserotonin (FS) from safflower seeds, ferulic acid (FA) and 10-gingerol. It was observed that FT and FS at the concentration of 1.2 mg/mL inhibited liver microsomal HMG CoA reductase activity by ~40%, but no inhibition of activity was seen in the cases of CT, CS, FA and 10-gingerol. Whereas, ACAT activity was inhibited ~50% by FT and CT, 34-43% by FS and CS and ~80% by 10-gingerol at the concentration of 1 mg/mL. A significant delay in LDL oxidation was induced by CT, FT, and 10-gingerol. For the animal experiment, five groups of Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed high fat diets containing no test material (HF-control), 1 and 2% of LCR ethanol extract (LCR1 and LCR2), and 1% of extracts from safflower seed (Saf) and ginger (Gin). The results indicated that total cholesterol level was significantly lower in Saf, LCR2 and Gin groups, and HDL cholesterol level was lower only in Gin group when compared with HF-control group; while there was no difference in the serum triglyceride levels among the five experimental groups. The level of liver cholesterol was significantly lower in LCR1 and LCR2 groups than HF-control. Serum levels of TBARS were significantly lower only in LCR2 group when compared with HF-control group. From the observed results, we concluded that LCR can be utilized as a hypocholesterolemic ingredient in combination with ginger, especially for functional foods.

Keyword

Lycii Cortex Radicis; tyramine; HMG CoA reductase; ACAT; serum lipid

MeSH Terms

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine
Animal Experimentation
Animals
Carthamus tinctorius
Catechols
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Coumaric Acids
Diet, High-Fat
Ethanol
Fatty Alcohols
Functional Food
Ginger
Humans
Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases
Lipid Peroxidation
Liver
Lycium
Male
Oxidoreductases
Polysorbates
Rats
Seeds
Serotonin
Squalene
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
Tyramine
Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine
Catechols
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Coumaric Acids
Ethanol
Fatty Alcohols
Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases
Oxidoreductases
Polysorbates
Serotonin
Squalene
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
Tyramine

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Structures of serotonin derivatives (a,b), ferulic acid (c), tyramine derivatives (d,e), simvastatin (f), gingerol (g), and pactimibe (h). a, N-(p-coumaroyl)serotonin (CS); b, N-feruloylserotonin (FS); c, ferulic acid; d, trans-N-p-coumaroyltyramine (CT); e, trans-N-feruloyltyramine (FT); f, simvastatin; g, gingerol; h, pactimbe.

• 

  Fig. 2 Effects of serotonin derivatives (CS, FS) from safflower seed and tyramine derivatives (CT, FT) from root bark of Lycium chenese Miller, ferulic acid (FA) and 10-gingerol on HMG-CoA reductase (A) and ACAT (B) activities. CS, N-(p-cumaroyl)serotonin; FS, N-feruloylserotonin; CT, trans-N-coumaroyltyramine; FT, trans-N-feruloyltyramine; FA, ferulic acid at the concentrations of 1.2 mg/mL for HMG CoA reducatse and of 1 mg/mL for ACAT reactions. Values are means ± SD of three replicates and those with * and ** are significantly different from none at P < 0.05 and < 0.01, respectively.

• 

  Fig. 3 In vitro effects of serotonin derivatives (CS, FS) from safflower seed and tyramine derivatives (CT, FT) from root bark of Lycium chenese Miller, ferulic acid (FA) and 10-gingerol on LDL oxidation. CS, N-(p-cumaroyl)serotonin; FS, N-feruloylserotonin; CT, trans-N-coumaroyltyramine; FT, trans-N-feruloyltyramine; FA, ferulic acid at the concentration of 2.5 µg/mL. Values are means ± SD of three replicates and those with * and ** are significantly different from none at P < 0.05 and < 0.01, respectively.

• 

  Fig. 4 Effects on serum lipid levels in five experimental groups1) of rats fed with high fat diets for four weeks. 1)Groups are same as described in Table 1. Bars are means ± SE from eight rats and those with different alphabet letters are at P < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 5 Effects on liver lipid levels in five experimental groups1) of rats fed with high fat diets for four weeks. 1)Groups are same as described in Table 1. Bars are means ± SE from eight rats and those with different alphabet letters are at P < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 6 Effects on serum TBARS levels in five experimental groups1) of rats fed with high fat diets for four weeks. 1)Groups are same as described in Table 1. Bars are means ± SE from eight rats and those with different alphabet letters are at P < 0.05.

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