EFFECT OF DAPHNETIN ON LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL CONTENTS IN SERUM

Daphnetin is one of the components of Daphne koreana Nakai and the sample used in the experiment is the synthesized product. The compound was shown to possess obvious effect on lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol contents in the serum of normal and hyperlipidemic mice or rats. When daphnetin was given orally to rats, the serum level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and the ratio of high density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol of normal rats were raised, whereas no significant effect on the level of lipid in normal mice was observed. Daphnetin (800 mg/kg, po for 1 week) decreased significantly the total cholesterol content in the serum of yolk(0.5 ml) treated mice. In addition, when daphnetin was given orally at a dosage of 800 mg/kg day for 2 weeks, the serum level of total cholesterol decreased. The sernm concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and the ratio of high density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol in rats with hyperlipidemia increased significantly.