Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of total flavonoids of Perilla Frutescens leaves in hyperlipidemia rats induced by high-fat diet

The leaves of Perilla frutescens are often used as a new source of additives for the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its unique bioactivities. This study was to evaluate the chemical composition and hyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects of total flavonoids of P. frutescens leaves (TFP) in the hyperlipidemia rats induced by a high-fat diet. By HPLC analysis, TFP mainly consisted of apigenin with a smaller amount of luteolin. At doses of 50-200 mg/kg, oral administration of TFP to hyperlipidemia rats was highly effective in decreasing the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerols (TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), and adipose tissue lipid accumulation, increasing the levels of serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c). adjusting metabolic disturbance of lipoprotein, increasing antioxidant enzyme activity and repressing development of atherosclerosis. It suggested that TFP had significant health benefits and could be explored as a potentially promising food additive for the prevention of hyperlipidemia diseases. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.