Lipid-lowering effects of zerumbone, a natural cyclic sesquiterpene of Zingiber zerumbet Smith, in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic hamsters

We investigated the effects of zerumbone, a natural cyclic sesquiterpene of Zingiber zerumbet Smith, on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic hamsters. After being fed HFD for 2 weeks, Syrian golden hamsters were dosed orally with zerumbone (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) once daily for 8 weeks. Decreased plasma levels of TC, TG and LDL-C, as well as the concentrations of hepatic lipids, with a simultaneous increase in fecal lipids were found. The ratios of LDL-C/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C were elevated by zerumbone. Zerumbone exhibited the ability to decreased hepatic mRNA levels of fatty acid synthase, malic enzyme, sterol-regulatory element binding protein and 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase reductase. The hepatic mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, together with its target gene carnitine palmitoyl transferase and acyl-CoA oxidase were also upregulated by zerumbone. Zerumbone is effective to improve dyslipidemia by modulating the genes expression involving in the lipolytic and lipogenic pathways of lipids metabolism.