EFFICACY OF SIMVASTATIN AND PUMPKIN-SEED OIL IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIETARY-INDUCED HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

Pumpkin-seed oil (PSO), a natural supplement rich with antioxidants an d polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), was given in combination with s imvastatin, as antihypercholesterolemic drug, to high cholesterol-fed rabbits, for three weeks. In comparison with normal rabbits, a signifi cant increase of the aortic contractile response to norepinephrine was observed which could be attributed to endothelium dysfunction, In add ition, serum levels of total lipids, triacylglycerols, total cholester ol and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were increased whil e phospholipids and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were decreased in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. These changes could be rela ted to the predominance of LDL and oxidized-LDL particles caused by hi gh levels of reactive oxygen species during hypercholesterolemia (HC). Treatment with simvastatin modulated most of the altered parameters a ffected during HC that might be, in part, due to inhibition of cholest erol biosynthesis. While concomitant administration of simvastatin and PSO succeeded to cause marked reduction of the aortic contractile res ponse to norepinephrine and to normalize the most adverse effects obse rved during HC. These effects were explained by the potentiating effec ts of simvastatin with antioxidants and essential fatty acids in PSO. On the contrary, serum activities of aminotransferases and creatine ph osphokinase were increased with simvastatin treatment but not with the combination therapy in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.