Abstract: Objective: To study the hepatoprotective effect and underlying mechanism of oligomeric procyanidins from Rhodiola rosea L. (OPCRR) in rats with atherosclerosis (AS). Methods: A rat model of AS was established by orally administering vitamin D3 and a high-fat emulsion simultaneously. The animals were divided into negative control, AS model, positive control (curcumin at 50 mg/kg mb), and low-, medium- and high-dose OPCRR (60, 120 and 240 mg/kg mb) groups. After administration for 8 consecutive weeks, we determined the changes in liver histology, lipids, oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines in order to evaluate the effectiveness of OPCRR in alleviating AS. Results: Compared with the AS model group, OPCRR significantly reduced the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and significantly increased serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) level (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, OPCRR significantly reduced AS index, and it improved the morphology of liver cells, protected the structure of hepatic lobules, significantly reduced the number of inflammatory foci and cell degeneration in the liver, and attenuated liver cell damage. Hepatic TC, TG, LDL-c and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels dropped significantly, and HDL-c significantly increased in the OPCRR-treated rats compared with the model control group (P < 0.05); malondialdehyde level in the liver significantly reduced, and the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase increased significantly (P < 0.05). At the same time, the levels of hepatic inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1) significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Conclusion: OPCRR can protect the liver of AS rats by regulating lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver, and its effect is better than that of curcumin.

Key words: oligomeric procyanidins, Rhodiola rosea L., atherosclerosis, liver