Sains Malaysiana 43(11)(2014): 1673–1684

Antioxidant Activity of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Kemunting) Fruits and Its Effect on Lipid Profile in Induced-cholesterol New Zealand White Rabbits

(Aktiviti Antioksida Buah Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Kemunting) dan Kesannya terhadap

Profil Lemak di dalam Kolesterol-Induksi Arnab Putih New Zealand)

MUHAMAD FAHRIN MASKAM¹, JAMALUDIN MOHAMAD¹*, MAHMOOD AMEEN ABDULLA², ADLIN AFZAN³ & ISA WASIMAN³

¹Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

²Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya

50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

³Herbal Medicine Research Centre, Institute of Medical Research, Jalan Pahang

50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Received: 19 August 2011/Accepted: 17 March 2014

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa fruit extract and its effect on triacylglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and lipid peroxidation in induced-cholesterol New Zealand White Rabbits. In DPPH assay, at concentration of 200 ug/mL methanol extract give 62.13% inhibition of DPPH free radicals with IC50 of 107 μg/mL. Similarly, in FRAP assay the methanol extract at concentration of 500 ug/mL showed the highest absorbance (0.16) for antioxidant activity. Whereas, in metal chelating assay the methanol extract at concentration of 100 mg/mL exhibited 36% inhibition of metal chelating ions. The antioxidant activities were due to the presence of phenolics compounds of quinic acid, gallic acid and caffeic acid, which were identified with Q-TQF MS. Total phenolic and total flavonoid content was the highest in water extract at 66.515 mg of GAE/g and 1.828 mg of QE/g, respectively. The water extract of R. tomentosa was non-toxic at LC50 = 616.083 μg/mL. The white New Zealand rabbits group A was fed by oral gavages with normal diet; Group B cholesterol 1% diet; group C cholesterol 1% diet with fruit extract 50 mg/kg and Group D cholesterol 1% diet with simvastatin standard drug 5 mg/kg. The rabbits in group C has a significantly reduced (p<0.05) total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and significantly increased (p<0.05) high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triacylglycerides (TG) as compared with group B. The lipid peroxidation was reduced significantly (p<0.05) as indicated by the low TBARs-MDA level in group C. Thus, these results showed that the R. tomentosa fruit extracts was able to reduce cholesterol level and increased HDL level which can prevent the formation of atherosclerosis in New Zealand white rabbits.

Keywords: Antioxidant; atherosclerosis; high density lipid; low density lipid; Rhodomyrtus tomentosa

ABSTRAK

Objektif kajian adalah untuk menentukan aktiviti antioksidan ekstrak buah Rhodomyrtus tomentosa dan kesannya terhadap triasilgliserida (TG), jumlah kolesterol (TC), lipoprotein ketumpatan rendah (LDL), lipoprotein ketumpatan tinggi (HDL) dan peroksidaan lipid. Di dalam asai DPPH, pada kepekatan 200 ug/mL ekstrak metanol memberikan 62.13% perencatan radikal bebas dengan LC₅₀ 107 μg/mL. Begitu juga asai FRAP, ekstrak metanol pada kepekatan 500 ug/mL menunjukkan serapan tertinggi (0.16) untuk aktiviti antioksidan. Manakala di dalam asai pengkelat logam, ekstrak metanol pada kepekatan 100 mg/mL menunjukkan 36% perencatan ion logam pengkelat. Aktiviti antioksidan adalah disebabkan kehadiran sebatian fenolik asid quinik, asid galik dan asid kafeik yang telah dikenal pasti dengan Q-TQF MS. Jumlah kandungan fenolik dan kandungan flavonoid adalah tertinggi di dalam ekstrak air masing-masing pada 66.515 mgGAE/g dan 1.828 mgQE/g. Ekstrak air R. tomentosa adalah tidak toksik pada LC₅₀ = 616.083 μg/mL. Arnab putih New Zealand kumpulan A telah diberi secara gavaj oral diet normal; kumpulan B diet 1% kolesterol; kumpulan C diet 1% kolesterol dengan ekstrak buah 50 mg/kg dan kumpulan D diet 1% kolesterol dengan dadah simvastatin piawai 5 mg/kg. Jumlah kolesterol (TC) arnab dalam kumpulan C berkurangan dengan ketara (p<0.05), lipoprotein ketumpatan rendah (LDL) dan peningkatan yang ketara (p<0.05) lipoprotein ketumpatan tinggi (HDL) dan triasilgliserida (TG) jika dibandingkan dengan kumpulan B. Peroksidaan lipid menurun dengan ketara (p<0.05) seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh paras TBARs-MDA yang rendah dalam kumpulan C. Oleh itu, semua keputusan ini menunjukkan ekstrak buah R. tomentosa mampu merendahkan paras kolesterol dan meningkatkan paras HDL yang boleh mencegah pembentukan arteroklorosis di dalam arnab putih New Zealand.

Kata kunci: Antioksida; arteroklorosis; lipid ketumpatan rendah; lipid ketumpatan tinggi; Rhodomyrtus tomentosa

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*Corresponding author; email: jamal@um.edu.my