Effect of a combination of calorie-restriction therapy and Lingguizhugan decoction on levels of fasting blood lipid and inflammatory cytokines in a high-fat diet induced hyperlipidemia rat model.

Objective: To combine calorie-restriction therapy (CRT) with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) using Lingguizhugan Decoction and note the effects on expression of inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin (IL)-6] in high-fat-diet induced hyperlipidemia in rats.
Methods: Forty rats were divided randomly and equally into four groups: control group A (regular feeding for 5 weeks); model group B (high-fat diet for 5 weeks), calorie-limited group C (high-fat diet for 5 weeks) and TCM calorie-limit group D (high-fat diet for 5 weeks). After modeling, groups C and D were fasted for 3 days: group C with simple fasting, and group D with TCM fasting. The motion as well as changes in color, body weight, food intake, plasma lipids [low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) along with TNF-α, hs-CRP and IL-6] were measured before and after intervention.
Results: Modeled rats were established after five weeks. After 3 days of fasting, compared with group B, blood lipid levels (TG, TC, LDL-C) of groups C and D decreased dramatically. Those of group D decreased more obviously than those of group C. However, the values of TNF-α, hs-CRP and IL-6 showed no obvious difference between each of the three treatment groups.
Conclusion: CRT can reduce fasting blood lipid levels in rats, but not by reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines.