Antihyperlipidemic and antiinflammatory effect of Bhallataka nuts in ameliorating the alterations in lipid metabolism and inflammation in diabetes-induced cardiac damage in rats

Semecarpus anacardium Linn., which belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, has been used in both Ayurveda and Siddha system against various ailments. The present study was carried out to establish the antihyperlipidemic and antiinflammatory effect of S. anacardium Linn. nut milk extract (SA) in diabetes-induced cardiovascular complications in rats. Type 2 diabetes was induced in rats by feeding them with a high-fat diet for 2 weeks followed by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) 35 mg/kg body wt twice 24 h apart dissolved in olive oil and left for 12 weeks to develop cardiovascular complication. High-fat diet and STZ induction significantly (p < 0.05) increased the lipid levels in plasma, liver, and heart tissue of rats with diabetes-induced cardiovascular damage. A significant increase in the lipoprotein levels was also observed. The activities of lipid-metabolizing enzymes were also altered. The levels of inflammatory cytokines were increased significantly in diabetic rats. The drug established its cardioprotective effect by decreasing the lipid levels and ameliorating the alterations in the activities of lipid-metabolizing enzymes and also by its antiinflammatory activity when rats with diabetes-induced cardiovascular damage were treated with the drug at a dosage of 300 mg/kg body wt for 8 weeks. The present study establishes the remarkable hypolipidemic and antiinflammatory activity of the drug in preventing and treating the diabetes-induced cardiovascular damage. © 2013, Springer-Verlag London.