THE EFFECT OF CONCURRENT HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS OF HYPERICUM PERFORATUM L. AND AMARANTHUS CAUDATUS L. ON SOME INFLAMMATION AND COAGULATION RISK FACTORS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES: A COMPARISON WITH LOVASTATIN

Cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity around the world. Inflammation and coagulation are two important risk factors of cardiovascular disease. In this study, the effect of the concurrent hydroalcoholic extracts of Hypericum perforatumL. and Amaranthus caudatus L. on inflammatory and coagulation factors in hypercholesterolemic rabbits was studied and its effect was compared with lovastatin. Twenty adult male Newzeland rabbits were randomly divided into four groups of five and were fed for 60 days as follows: basic diet, high cholesterol, high cholesterol along withcombination of Hypericum and Amaranth (HA) extract (75mg/kg) and high cholesterol along with Lovastatin (10mg/kg). Blood samples were taken at the beginning, one month later and at the end of the study in order to measure their serum factors. The result showed that both the extract and lovastatin reduced significantly CRP, white blood cell, fibrinogen and platelet. Therefore Hypericum and Amaranthus by decreasing inflammation and coagulation risk factor prevent atherosclerosis also results showed that above extract is more effective to decrease Cardiovascular risk factor than lovastatin.