THE EFFECTS OF TEUCRIUM POLIUM L. ON ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUES IN HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC IN RATS

Cardiovascular diseases are amongst the most important mortality causes worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to offer a drug that meanwhile lacking the side effects of the similar chemical medications is capable of reducing the risk factors of such diseases. In the present study, the effect of hydroalcoholic extract taken from the plant Teucrium Polium on the atherosclerotic plaques has been studied herein. In the current research paper, 20 male Wistar rats with mean weights ranging from 150 g to 180 g were randomly divided to four groups: a control group and a sham group that, respectively, received ordinary dietary regimen and high cholesterol (2%) nutrition. Experimental groups 1 and 2 that received ordinary dietary regimens plus Teucrium Polium extracts, with dosages equal to 0.85 mg/ml and 1.7 mg/ml, respectively, on a daily basis. After eight weeks of treatment, the rats' aortas were dissected and kept in 10% formalin solution to undergo histological evaluations. The weight results were analyzed in SPSS software by the use of one-way variance analysis (ANOVA). There was not observed any atherogenic lesion in the control group that had received a normal nutrition. In sham group that had received high cholesterol dietary regimen, atheroma plaques were visible. Experimental groups 1&2 that had been treated with extract dosages of 0.85 mg/ml and 1.7 mg/ml, no sign of any atherogenic lesion and plaque formation was observed even with their being fed on a high cholesterol dietary regime. Also, the sham group members' mean weights showed a significant increase in respect to the control group. Experimental group two demonstrated a significant reduction of weight in contrast to the control group. The hydroalcoholic extract of Teucrium Polium was interestingly successful in preventing the atherosclerotic plaques. According to the side effects of the anti-atherosclerotic chemical medications, it seems that the use of traditional medicine and the medicinal herbs can be an appropriate solution to the reduction of cardiovascular diseases. Keywords: Atherosclerotic plaques, Teucrium polium, cardiovascular disease, Medical plants.