Hypolipidemic effect of safflower yellow and primary mechanism analysis

We examined the hypolipidemic effect of safflower yellow (SY) on hyperlipidemic mice and its influence on the biological synthesis of cholesterol in cells. Over 4 weeks, the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum were detected using a kit; mouse liver samples were acquired for paraffin sections, and mouse liver cells were observed under light microscope. Chinese hamster ovary cells were cultured in vitro, and an amphotericin B-cell model was adopted to observe the inhibitory effect of SY on the biological synthesis of intracellular cholesterol. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the survival rate of Chinese hamster ovary cells. The middle and high doses of SY significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the serum of hyperlipidemic mice and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (P < 0.05), and the fatty liver of hyperlipidemic mice was significantly alleviated. SY had a protective effect on Chinese hamster ovary cells following amphotericin B injury (P < 0.01). SY exerts significant hypolipidemic effects and prevents fatty liver in a mechanism associated with inhibition of the biosynthesis of intracellular cholesterol.