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African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines
African Ethnomedicines Network
ISSN: 0189-6016
Vol. 9, No. 1, 2012, pp. 131-137
Bioline Code: tc12018
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge

African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2012, pp. 131-137

 en THE EFFECT OF PUMPKIN ( CUCURBITA PEPO L check for this species in other resources ) SEEDS AND L-ARGININE SUPPLEMENTATION ON SERUM LIPID CONCENTRATIONS IN ATHEROGENIC RATS
Abuelgassim, Abuelgassim O. & AL-showayman, Showayman I A

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the effect of pumpkin ( Cucurbita pepo L. check for this species in other resources ) seeds supplementation on atherogenic diet-induced atherosclerosis. Rat were divided into two main groups , normal control and atherogenic control rats , each group composed of three subgroups one of them supplemented with 2% arginine in drinking water and the other supplemented with pumpkin seeds in diet at a concentration equivalent to 2% arginine. Supplementation continued for 37 days. Atherogenic rats supplemented with pumpkin seeds showed a significant decrease (p<0.001) in their serum concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL – C as they dropped from 4.89 mmol / L to 2.55 mmol /L and from 3.33 mmol / L to 0.70 mmol / L respectively. Serum concentrations of HDL-C were also significantly elevated in the same group. Although, atherogenic rats supplemented with 2% arginine showed significant increase in serum concentration of HDL-C, no significant changes were observed in their serum concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL-C. Our results showed that treatment of atherogenic rats with pumpkin seeds significantly decreased serum concentrations of TC and LDL-C. Our findings suggest that pumpkin seeds supplementation has a protective effect against atherogenic rats and this protective effect was not attributed to the high arginine concentrations in pumpkin seeds.

Keywords
arginine; low density lipoprotein; cholesterol; atherosclerosis; nitric oxide; C-reactive protein

 
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