| Introduction: Lipid metabolism disorder or hyperlipidemia is known as a risk factor for
cardiovascular disease, the increase in serum homocysteine and leptin are associated with
atherosclerotic disease. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of bovine
lactoferrin (bLF) on serum homocysteine (Hcy), apolipoproteinA-I (ApoA-I) and B (ApoB),
leptin and lipid profile changes in high-cholesterol-diet (HCD) fed rats.
Methods: The Healthy Adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats were randomly assigned into three
experimental groups. Each group consisted of eleven male rats including control group, HCD
rats and hypercholesterolemic rats, which were treated with bLF (HCD+bLF). bLF was given by
gavage (200 mg/kg/d). After 4 weeks of feeding and overnight fasting, total blood samples were
collected.
Results:The results showed the elevated level of Hcy, leptin, total cholesterol, low density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), ApoB and decrease in ApoA-I in non-treated HCD group
compared to the control rats. Administration of bLF significantly ameliorated the Hcy and
leptin levels with decrease in LDL-C and total cholesterol in rats fed with a high-cholesterol diet.
bLF also tended to increase low serum concentration of ApoA-I and high density lipoprotein
cholesterol (HDL-C) in HCD rats. Meanwhile, upon bLF-treated rats, there was a significant
decrease in ApoB in HCD group.
Conclusion:The findings indicated that bLF can improve the alteration of serum Hcy, leptin,
apolipproteins and lipid changes in male rats fed with high-cholesterol diet. So, bLF can counteract
with HCD elicited hyper-homocysteinemia and hyper-leptinemia, suggesting it to have the useful
therapeutic potential in patients with atherosclerosis and lipid disorder. |