Changes in antioxidant defense status in hypercholesterolemic rats treated with Ajuga iva.

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Ajuga iva ( Ai ) on serum and tissues lipid peroxidation as well as antioxidant enzymes activities in red blood cells (RBC) and tissues, in high hypercholesterolemic rats (HC). Male Wistar rats ( n =12) were fed on 1% cholesterol-enriched diet for 15 d. After this adaptation phase, hypercholesterolemic rats (total cholesterol=6.5±0.6 mol/l) were divided into two groups fed the same diet and treated or not with Ai for 15 d. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentrations in serum, LDL-HDL 1 , HDL 2 and HDL 3 were respectively, 5-, 7.8-, 2.3- and 5-fold lower in Ai treated than untreated hyperchol…