EFFECT OF TINCTURE OF CRATAEGUS ON THE LDL-RECEPTOR ACTIVITY OF HEPATIC PLASMA-MEMBRANE OF RATS FED AN ATHEROGENIC DIET

Tincture of Crataegus, (TCR), is a hypocholesterolemic and antiatheros clerotic drug made from berries of hawthorn, Crataegus oxyacantha. Its main constituents are flavonoids, triterpene saponins and a few cardi oactive amines. TCR, when administered simultaneously to rats fed an a therogenic diet, significantly increased the binding of I-125-LDL to t he liver plasma membranes, in vitro. Scatchard analysis of the specifi c binding data revealed that under the influence of TCR treatment the liver membranes bound to a greater number of I-125-LDL molecules indic ating an enhancement in the LDL-receptor activity. TCR was also shown to increase bile acid excretion and to depress hepatic cholesterol syn thesis in atherogenic diet fed rats. With these observations in view, the hypocholesterolemic action of TCR appears to be due to an upregula tion of hepatic LDL-receptors resulting in greater influx of plasma ch olesterol into the liver. TCR also prevents the accumulation of choles terol in the liver by enhancing cholesterol degradation to bile acids and by simultaneously suppressing cholesterol biosynthesis. The variou s constituents of TCR may act synergistically to bring about the obser ved effects.