Anti-hyperlipidemic and Anti-oxidative Effects of Gelsemine in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Rabbits

The present study investigated the anti-hyperlipidemic proprieties of a natural alkaloid, gelsemine, in a high-fat-fed rabbit model. Animals were randomly divided into five groups and fed normal diet, hypercholesterolemic diet (1 % cholesterol), or hypercholesterolemic diet (1 % cholesterol) supplemented with gelsemine (1, 5, or 25 mg/kg). After 60 days, serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, apolipoproteins A and B, SGOT, SGPT, glucose, and insulin were measured in all experimental groups. Hypercholesterolemic diet resulted in significantly elevated levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, SGOT, and SGPT, and reduced HDL-C compared to the normocholesterolemic diet group. Gelsemine treatment significantly improved lipid profile parameters, affected by hyperlipidemia, while having no effect on the levels of apolipoproteins, glucose, and insulin. Furthermore, gelsemine treatment decreased hyperlipidemia-induced oxidative 

  gelsemine (99 % purity; Chengdu Biopurify Phytochemicals Ltd, Chengdu, China)