Abstract
This study was designed to observe the effects of feeding Houttuynia cordata juice and powder on the improvement of the lipids in the serum of dietary hypercholesterolemic rats. Experimental groups such as 5% cellulose for control group, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% H. cordata powder for group 2, 3, 4, 5, respectively, and 5%, 10%, 15% H. cordata juice for group 6, 7, 8, respectively, were admi nistered to the male rats of the Sprague Dawley for 4 weeks. Concentrations of total cholesterol in serum were significantly lower in all experimental groups than in the control group, and particularly, the lowest in group 8. The ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol was the highest in group 5. Atherosclerotic index was lower in group 5 and 8. Concentrations of free cholesterol and cholesterol ester in serum were significantly lower in all experimental groups than in the control group, and then concentrations of free cholesterol and cholesterol ester were the lowest in group 5 and 8, re spectively. Concentrations of triglyceride and phospholipid were the lowest in the group 5. Con centrations of chylomicron and VLDL were significantly lower in all experimental groups than in the control group. And the concentration was remarkably the lowest in group 5. Concentration of glucose in blood was not significantly different, but lower in the group 5 and 8. Concentrations of Ca, P, Mg, Fe were not significantly different in all experimental groups. The GOT and GPT activites were lower in all experimental groups than in the control group, especially the lowest in group 7 of GOT and group 8 of GPT. The LDH activity was the lowest in group 8.