Abstract:

Objective: To investigate the effect of oleoresin from Zanthoxylum bungeanum on lipid metabolism in
ovariectomized rats. Methods: Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups; one group
was sham-operated as sham control, and the other four groups were subjected to ovariectomy. After one week of feeding
postsurgery, the rats from the sham control and ovariectomy groups were daily orally administered with 0, 15 (OVX-HD),
10 (OVX-MD), and 5 mg/kg (OVX-LD) Zanthoxylum bungeanum oleoresin. After four weeks, all the rats were sacrificed for
the analysis of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (TC) in serum and liver, bile acids in small intestine and feces. Results: By the
administration of Zanthoxylum bungeanum oleoresin, the concentrations of triglyceride, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol and non high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) as well as the
concentrations of fat, triglyceride and cholesterol in liver, but the excretion of feces, bile acid contents in small intestine and
feces, and the excretion of neutral steroids were increased. Conclusion: Zanthoxylum bungeanum oleoresin can ameliorate lipid
metabolism in estrogen deficiency-induced hypercholesterolemia rats by promoting the excretion of bile acids and neutral steroids.

Key words: Zanthoxylum bungeanum oleoresin, ovariectomized rats, serum lipid, bile acids, neutral steroid