Endocrine Abstracts

Ocimum gratissimum (OG) was shown to reverse dyslipidemia in diabetes mellitus. The present study investigates the effect of OG on hepatic lipid synthesis in animals with metabolic syndrome induced by dexamethasone. Twenty male Wistar rats (130 ± 20 g) were randomly grouped into four (n=5 each) as control, normal+OG, Dex and Dex+OG. Dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to Dex and Dex+OG groups followed by normal saline and OG (400 mg/kg), respectively; while control and normal+OG were administered normal saline and OG, respectively. Body weight was monitored before and after the treatments. After 10 days of treatments, under anaesthesia by sodium thiopental (50 mg/kg, i.p.), liver was obtained for determination of HMG Co A/mevalonate ratio as a measure of cholesterol synthesis and for histological staining using H and E as well as lipid specific stain. Data were presented as mean ± SEM, compared using ANOVA and post-test analysis at α_0.05. The result showed marked reduction in body weight of Dex and Dex+OG animals. HMG Co A/mevalonate ratio was significantly decreased in the Dex but increased in the Dex+OG compared with control, thus cholesterol synthesis which was increased in the Dex was significantly decreased in the Dex+OG since an inverse relationship exist between HMG Co A/mevalonate ratio and cholesterol synthesis. Hepatic steatosis was widely spread in the Dex but significantly cleared in the Dex+OG. It was concluded that treatment with OG significantly inhibits hepatic cholesterol synthesis.