Comparative Investigation of the Effect of Quercetin and Hydroalcoholic Extract of Otostegia Persica Boiss with Atorvastatin on ABC A1 Gene Expression in Hypercholesterolemic Male Wistar Rats

Hypercholesterolemia is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis that the use of medicinal plants with minimal side effects is very important in the treatment of it. In this study, comparative evaluation of the effect of hydroalcoholic extract and quercetin of Otostegia persica Boiss with atorvastatin on ABC A1 gene expression in hypercholesterolemic male Wistar rats was carried out. Forty male wistar rats with about 180gr weight randomly individed into five groups of eight: 3 experimental groups, 1 sham group and 1 control group. The experimental and sham groups received a high-fat diet with 2% cholesterol (through gavage) for 40 days. The experimental groups were treated (were fed) separately with 40 mg/kg/day atorvastatin, 25 mg/kg/day quercetin and 25 mg/kg/day hydroalcoholic extract of Otostegia persica Boiss for 28 days. Sham group received daily 1 mg/kg saline water during this period. In the end, the expression of ABC A1 gene was determined by Real-Time PCR in leukocytes and serum lipids were measured by photometric method. Ethical Considerations: This study with research ethics code B/29/5/1/1799 has been approved by committee for ethics in biomedical research at Kashan university of medical sciensec on July 31, 2016. The hydroalcoholic extract and quercetin of Otostegia persica Boiss and atorvastatin significantly increased ABC A1 gene expression in three experimental groups {(1.14 ± 0.09) ,(1.18 ± 0.03),(1.11 ± 0.03) respectively} realated to control group(1.00 ± 0.011) (p<0.05) and sham group(0.89 ± 0.03) (p<0.05). Quercetin also was more effective than atorvastatin in increasing of ABC A1 gene expression (p<0.05). Quercetin and hydroalcoholic extract of Otostegia persica Boiss have increased effect on ABC A1 gene expression in hypercholesterolemic male Wistar rats.