text: Hypocholesterolaemic and antioxidant effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Linn) in rats.
  The hypocholesterolaemic and antioxidant effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra (GG) root powder were examined in hypercholesterolaemic male albino rats. A 4-week administration of GG root powder (5 and 10 gm% in diet) to hypercholesterolaemic rats resulted in significant reduction in plasma, hepatic total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides and plasma low-density lipoprotein and VLDL-cholesterol accompanied by significant increases in HDL-cholesterol levels. Furthermore, significant increases in fecal cholesterol, neutral sterols and bile acid excretion along with an increase in hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity and bile acid production were observed in these animals. The root powder administration to hypercholesterolaemic rats also decreased hepatic lipid peroxidation with a concomitant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities and total ascorbic acid content. Thus, the hypocholesterolaemic and antioxidant effects of GG root appeared to be mediated via (i) accelerated cholesterol, neutral sterol and bile acid elimination through fecal matter with an increased hepatic bile acid production and (ii) improving the activities of hepatic SOD, catalase and increasing the ascorbic acid content. The normo-cholesterolaemic animals when fed with GG root powder at 10 gm% level, registered a significant decline in plasma lipid profiles and an increase in HDL-cholesterol content. The antioxidant status of these animals also was improved upon treatment.
  
entities: ['plasma']
entities: Organism_substance
entities: PMID-17054099_T1
entities: ['hepatic']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T2
entities: ['plasma']
entities: Organism_substance
entities: PMID-17054099_T3
entities: ['fecal']
entities: Organism_substance
entities: PMID-17054099_T4
entities: ['hepatic']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T6
entities: ['root']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T8
entities: ['root']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T9
entities: ['root']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T10
entities: ['hepatic']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T11
entities: ['root']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T12
entities: ['hepatic']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T14
entities: ['hepatic']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T16
entities: ['root']
entities: Organ
entities: PMID-17054099_T17
entities: ['plasma']
entities: Organism_substance
entities: PMID-17054099_T18
entities: ['fecal matter']
entities: Organism_substance
entities: PMID-17054099_T19