Antioxidant and antiatherogenic impacts of Catharanthus roseus and Hibiscus sabdariffa on Cu++ mediated oxidation kinetics of low density lipoprotein

The present study revealed that the ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Catharanthus roseus and the ethanolic extract of the flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa exhibited satisfactory scavenging effect in all the radical scavenging assays in a concentration dependent manner. Oxidative damage to cholesterol component of the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) leads to oxidized LDL by a series of consecutive events. Oxidised LDL acts as a trigger to initiate endothelial inflammation leading to Diabetes, atherosclerosis and vascular thrombosis (heart attack and stroke). Modified LDLs are produced during chemical modification that LDLs undergo after synthesis. Catharanthus roseus and Hibiscus sabdariffa inhibits the oxidative modification of LDL in normallipidemic subjects by 15.47% and 15.08% respectively. It has also been experimentally proved that these extracts are effective in lowering the formation of Malondialdehyde contents in LDL with plant extract, isolated from normallipidemic subjects. Though, these extracts do not show considerable effects in enhancing the catalytic activity of cellular enzymes such as Superoxide dismutase. In conclusion, based on our study of free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties of Catharanthus roseus and Hibiscus sabdariffa on copper mediated oxidative modification of LDL in normallipidemic subjects, administration of Catharanthus roseus and Hibiscus sabdariffa may be useful in the prevention and treatment of Diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis and other oxidative stress mediated diseases. In addition, use of these herbal plant extracts will be efficacious, cost effective and involves no risk of side-effects.

Author(s): Vipin Anthwal, Fouzia Ishaq, Ravindra Nath Singh and Amir Khan

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