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Highlights: [•] Shan Zha’s hypocholesterolaemic and vasoprotective effects were investigated. [•] Shan Zha 80% ethanolic extract improved lipid profile in hypercholesterolaemic rats. [•] Endothelium-mediated aortic relaxation was enhanced in Shan Zha treated rats. [•] Shan Zha could provide its effect by up-regulating hepatic CYP7A1 mRNA expression. [•] Shan Zha may be used to treat hypercholesterolaemia-related complications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The hypocholesterolemic and atheroscleroprotective potentials of dietary consumption of hawthorn (dried fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida, Shan Zha) were investigated by monitoring plasma lipid profiles and aortic relaxation in Sprague–Dawley rats fed with either normal diet, high-cholesterol diet (HCD) or HCD supplemented with hawthorn powder (2%, w/w) (4weeks). In HCD-fed rats, an increased plasma total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol with a decreased HDL-cholesterol was observed, and consumption of hawthorn markedly suppressed the elevated total cholesterol and LDL-lipoprotein levels plus an increased HDL-cholesterol level. The blunted acetylcholine-induced, endothelium-dependent relaxation of isolated aortas of HCD-fed rats was improved by hawthorn. The development of fatty liver, an increased nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and an elevated oxidative stress (as estimated by the attenuated levels of anti-oxidant enzymes) associated with HCD were attenuated by hawthorn. Thus, the results demonstrated that hawthorn consumption provides overall beneficial effects on reversing HCD associated detrimental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]