Anti-atherogenic effect of Terminalia arjuna through suppressing adipocytokines and cardiac markers

Atherosclerosis results from slow deposition of fatty materials in media and large arteries leading to mortality worldwide. Terminalia arjuna is an herb of Combretaceae family which contains flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides with high antioxidant properties. This study was conducted to determine the effect of hydroalcholic extract fraction of T. arjuna on blood lipids and atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemia Wistar rats model induced by atherogenic diet. In the hyperlipidemia animal model, the rats received hydroalcoholic extract of T. arjuna treatment exhibits noticeable reduction in total cholesterol, total triglycerides and elevation in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). A result reveals that T. arjuna considerably decreases TC, TG and increases antioxidant levels. Metabolic marker of homocysteine, pro-inflammatory (adipocytokines) markers such as C-reactive protein, leptin and IL6, anti-inflammatory marker like adiponectin, fibrinolytic factor such as plasminogen activator (PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) that are association with atherogenic diet consumption. Hence, T. arjuna extract can effectively prevent the progress of atherosclerosis. This is possible due to the effect of T. arjuna having triterpenoids, cardiac glycosides alkaloids and flavonoids. The hydroalcoholic extract of T. arjuna was found to possess remarkable hypolipidemic activity.