細胞凋亡是一個維持體內環境平衡，及個體生長發育的一個重要因素。膽固醇是兩性脂肪質，被用來做原生質膜及脂蛋白外層膜的基本構造。肝臟是體內膽固醇代謝過程中主要的器官，而過多膽固醇的堆積則會造成細胞的死亡。本實驗的目的是，研究在誘發高血脂兔子的肝臟細胞上是否有細胞凋亡的現象發生？以及運用TUNEL Assay評估川芎、厚朴、丹蔘、紅花、石斛等中藥萃取物質和茄紅素、ellagic acid等健康食品對細胞凋亡的影響。本實驗利用含有1％中藥或健康食品的膽固醇飼料，餵食體重約2-3公斤的紐西蘭白兔8週，分別於不同時間測量血液中膽固醇、低密度脂蛋白、三酸甘油脂、觀察肝臟細胞凋亡的情形、及測量各組細胞凋亡百分率。結果發現8週後膽固醇組血中膽固醇含量為1143.9 mg/dl，正常組血中膽固醇含量為51.17 mg/dl，統計上顯著上升之情形，其P < 0.05；而膽固醇組細胞凋亡百分率為24%，正常組細胞凋亡百分率為8.2%，統計上顯著增加之情形，其P < 0.05；在其各中藥及健康食品組血中膽固醇含量、細胞凋亡百分率皆有下降的趨勢。根據實驗結果顯示高血脂會誘發肝臟細胞細胞凋亡，而中藥會降低細胞凋亡的百分率，其機轉尚需進一步探討。; New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were assigned randomly into different dietary groups. The normal group was fed with regular rabbit chow and the cholesterol group was fed with a chow containing 0.5 % cholesterol. The Chinese Herb (CH) group and the health food (HF) groups were fed with the same diet as the control group plus 1% CH or HF, respectively. The plasma level of total cholesterol was increased in the cholesterol group compared to the normal group, and decrease in the CH group and HF group compared to the cholesterol group. The percentage of apoptosic cells was increased in the cholesterol group as compared to the normal group and decreased in the CH and HF group as compared to the cholesterol group. The apoptosis cells were easily found under fluorescence microscope using TUNEL assay. These results suggest that hyperlipidemia will induce liver apoptosis and Chinese Herb essence has the ability to decrease the incidence of apoptosis.
