Research Article
Gynura procumbens Standardised Extract Reduces Cholesterol
Levels and Modulates Oxidative Status in Postmenopausal Rats
Fed with Cholesterol Diet Enriched with Repeatedly Heated
Palm Oil
Khuzaidatul Azidah Ahmad Nazri ,
1
Norsyahida Mohd Fauzi,
2
Fhataheya Buang,
2
Qodriyah Haji Mohd Saad ,
3
Khairana Husain,
2
Ibrahim Jantan ,
4
and Zakiah Jubri
1
1
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, e National University of Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC),
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2
Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, e National University of Malaysia Campus Kuala Lumpur,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
3
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, e National University of Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC),
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4
School of Pharmacy, Taylor’s University, Lakeside Campus, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Correspondence should be addressed to Zakiah Jubri; zakiah.jubri@ppukm.ukm.edu.my
Received 18 June 2019; Revised 12 August 2019; Accepted 26 August 2019; Published 23 September 2019
Academic Editor: Kuttulebbai N. S. Sirajudeen
Copyright © 2019 Khuzaidatul Azidah Ahmad Nazri et al. is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons
Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is
properly cited.
Gynura procumbens (Lour.) Merr. (GP) has been reported in previous studies to possess antihyperlipidaemic, antioxidative, and
cardioprotective properties. is study was aimed to determine the effect of standardised 80% ethanol extract of GP on lipid
profiles and oxidative status of hypercholesterolemic rats. Postmenopausal (PM) Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomised and
fed with 2% cholesterol diet fortified with five times heated palm oil to develop hyperlipidaemia status. Two doses of the extract
(250 and 500 mg/kg) and atorvastatin (10 mg/kg) were administered once daily via oral gavage for 24 weeks. Systolic blood
pressure (SBP) was increased during the first month in the postmenopausal group and decreased with GP supplementation. Lipid
droplets accumulation was shown at the tunica media (TM) area of the aorta in the postmenopausal group and reduced with GP
supplementation. Total cholesterol (TC), total triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and malondialdehyde (MDA)
levels increased (p < 0.05) at 3 and 6 months in the postmenopausal group and were reduced with GP supplementation. GP also
increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level in the postmenopausal group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and
glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were reduced in the postmenopausal group compared to control in the sham group but
increased (p < 0.05) with GP supplementation. e results showed that the higher dose of GP (500 mg/kg) gave better effect. GP
has the ability to reduce oxidative stress and prevent membrane cell damage through antioxidant enzyme activity modification
and lipid profile changes in postmenopausal rats related to atherosclerosis.
1. Introduction
e World Health Organization (WHO) reported that
cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death
globally. e National Health and Morbidity Survey of
Malaysia reported in 2015 that at least 63% of adults aged 18
years and above had at least one CVD risk factor [1]. e
Malaysian Ministry of Health has speculated that CVD
incidents will increase to 23.3 million cases in 2030 [2]. In
comparison between women and men at matched-age,
women have lower risk for cardiovascular diseases especially
atherosclerosis. However, when women reached menopause,
the incidence of atherosclerosis increases drastically [3].
Studies reported that menopausal women at the age of 55
Hindawi
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Volume 2019, Article ID 7246756, 15 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7246756