1. Introduction

Savory is a dicotyledonous, annual plant, with 10 to 30cm height, wide stems, and green to grey colored and long narrow linear tipped leaves belonging to the botanical family Lamiaceae. Leaves surface have numerous sites containing essences. It is distributed in western parts of Iran (Azerbaijan) and north (Firuzkooh) [Rechinger, 1982; Najafi et al., 2010; Akbari et al., 2013; Moghtadai Khorasgani et al., 2013].

Savory contains tannin, fatty materials, several sugars, and about 2% essence colored yellow or light brown [Lowerence, 1981; Akbari et al., 2013; Moghtadai Khorasgani et al., 2013]. Additionally it contains some composites like parasimen and carvacrol. Flowering branches could be dried in the shade and used as infusion in order to remove digestive, parasitic and urinary disorders. The extract of savory can be gargled in order to reduce tonsillitis. The herbal bath of it is used to alleviate neurological and rheumatic and rickets [Fathi et al., 2011; Ghalamkari et al., 2011; Chkhikvishvili et al., 2013].

It has carminative and appetizing and sexual stimulant activity too. Savory is commonly used in order to relief toothache and if it be taken in combination with fig it is useful for cough, asthma, and brightening face skin. This medicinal plant is effective to treat Diarrhea and its ointment with olive oil is curative for various abdominal pains [Zimowska, 2010; Ghalamkari et al., 2011; Chkhikvishvili et al., 2013].

Savory can be used to eliminate faint and nausea. Furthermore it can be a good remedy for indigestion, enteric fermentations and flatulence. The numerous flowers of savory producing so much nectar are used by honey bees [Akbari et al., 2013; Chkhikvishvili et al., 2013; Moghtadai Khorasgani et al., 2013].

Besides this plant have antioxidant, anti-diabetic, lowering triglyceride and weight-reducing, anticoagulation and antibacterial activity [Nazari et al., 2006]. Its essential oils and oleoresins are applied in making drinks and perfume industry [Nazari et al., 2006; Fathi et al., 2011]. In this research, we investigated the effects of the savory essences on biochemical factors such as (triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, ALT, AST and total protein) in rat's blood serum.

2. Material and Methods

This study was conducted in spring 2013 in the Islamic Azad University of Shahrekord Branch laboratory. The biochemical factors were measured at Al-Mahdi Medical Diagnostic Laboratories of Shahrekord, Iran. The savory plant tabs were collected and the extract of related plant was produced in the Islamic Azad University of Shahrekord Branch laboratory.

2.1. Drying and Extracting

The savory plants were collected from Chaharmahal Va Bakhtiari Province, Iran ranges' and they were accurately identified and confirmed by means of adapting the herbarium specimens. Then they were dried at 25-35 C° temperature for 3 hours. After drying they were crushed and extracted using BP [British Pharmacopoeia, 1988]. It should be noted that 1ml essence were obtained per 100g plant.

2.2. Animals

In the present study 24 series of white wistar rats prepared from university laboratory animals breeding center weighted 215±15 gr were kept in standard cages with easy access to water and food. The rats were divided into 3 eight-groups. In the first and second group the determination of essence dose was carried out through preliminary experiments and no composition was used for control group. The first and second group received 200 and 400 mg/kg savory dose respectively while control used sterile distilled water. Herbal prescription lasted for 21 days among groups and at the end of this period the animals were anesthetized in the specific containers using chloroform. The blood samples were taken by means of cardiac puncture technique [Sumiko et al., 2001] and their serum was isolated via 2000rpm centrifuge and finally biochemical factors such as triglyceride, total protein, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, ALT, and AST were measured. All experiments were carried out under ethical guidelines of the Islamic Azad University of Shahrekord Branch, for the care and use of laboratory animals.

2.3. Statistical Analysis

The data was analyzed statistically by means of SPSS software 18.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and significance levels (p0.05) were compared by means of Duncan test.

3. Results

The level of serum triglyceride in the first group was 119.2±54.9 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison to control group (117.7±21 mg/dl). The level of serum triglyceride in the second group was 84.5±14.8 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison to control group (117.7±21 mg/dl) but a relative reduction (p< 0.05) (Table 1; Figure 1).

Table 1. The effect of savory essence on biochemical factors of rat blood serum

Figure 1. The effect of savory essence level of triglyceride of rat blood serum

The level of total protein in the first group was 8.3±0.56 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison to control group (7.5±1.7 mg/dl). The level of total protein in the second group was 7.6±0.88 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison to control group but total protein increased relatively in both treatment groups in comparison to control group (Table 1; Figure 2).

Figure 2. The effect of savory essence level of total protein of rat blood serum

The level of LDL in the first group was 5.8±2 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison to control group (4.3±1 mg/dl). The level of LDL in the second group was 5.1±2.2 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison to control group (4.3±1 mg/dl) but increased relatively in both treatment groups in comparison to control group (p< 0.05) (Table 1; Figure 3).

Figure 3. The effect of savory essence level of LDL of rat blood serum

The level of HDL in the first group was 11±1.8 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison to control group (12±1.4 mg/dl). The level of HDL in the second group was 8.7±1.7 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison to control group (12±1.4 mg/dl) but HDL level showed a relative reduction groups in comparison to control group (Table 1; Figure 4).

Figure 4. The effect of savory essence level of HDL of rat blood serum

In the first group the level of cholesterol was 87.2±28 mg/dl which showed no significant differences than control group (142.2±24.13 mg/dl). However it had a relative reduction than control group. The cholesterol in the second group was at 69±20 mg/dl level that showed no significant differences (p< 0.05) than control group (142.2±24.13 mg/dl) (Table 1; Figure 5).

Figure 5. The effect of savory essence level of cholesterol of rat blood serum

The proportion of ALT in the first group was 70.5±26 mg/dl which showed no significant differences than control group (80±10.1 mg/dl). The proportion of ALT in the second group was 73.7±17.2 mg/dl which showed no significant differences than control group (80±10.1 mg/dl). However, both treatments groups showed a relative reduction than control group (Table 2; Figure 6).

Figure 6. The effect of savory essence level of ALT of rat blood serum

The proportion of AST in the first group was 150.3±36.9 mg/dl which showed no significant differences than control group (173.7±55.8 mg/dl). The proportion of AST in the second group was 155±45.5 mg/dl which showed no significant differences than control group (173.7±55.8 mg/dl). However, both treatments groups showed a relative reduction than control group (Table 2; Figure 7).

Table 2. The effect of savory essence on liver enzymes of rat blood serum

Figure 7. The effect of savory essence level of AST of rat blood serum

4. Discussion

This manuscript aims to assess the effect of the ‘savory’ essence on levels of biochemical factors in rat blood. The triglyceride level in the group received 200mg/kg savory essence had showed a relative increment meanwhile the second group with 400mg/kg savory essence showed a relative reduction than control group. Therefore it can be said that the higher savory essence dose led to more triglyceride level reduction.

Moreover the same essence resulted in significantly reduction in rats' weights according to Nazari et al (Nazari et al., 2006). The finding of Nazari et al showed that the triglyceride level decreased as the result of using savory [Nazari et al., 2006].

Also, Abdollahi et al., (2003) observed significant reduction in the blood glucose and triglyceride level with Khoozestani savory essence in diabetic and diabetic rats as well as significant reduction in normal lipid peroxidation and increased body antioxidant power [Abdollahi et al., 2003]. Several researchers demonstrated that some plants with natural antioxidants including lycopene, vitamin E and phenols resulted in reducing serum lipid [Jiang and Dusting, 2003].

Herris et al suggested that some of the herbal medicines led to glycation inhibition of lipoproteins, enzymes, and proteins involved in lipid and lipoproteins metabolism and in this way led to lipid serum reduction [Harris et al., 2011] as their results are in accordance with the findings of current study.

According to the achieved findings In the present study, the LDL level showed a relative increment in both treatment groups; meanwhile, Ahmadvand et al., (2008) indicated that Khoozestani savory had antioxidant properties and caused inhibiting of LDL oxidation in vitro [Ahmadvand et al., 2008].

Total protein level showed a relative increment in both treatment groups, that could be an indication of increased blood buffer capacity and colloidal osmotic pressure which led to prevent the loss of fluid from the capillaries. Also in a study by Dagnesi et al., (2003) the use of herbal medicines essence Mistletoe (viscum album) and nettle led to enhance blood plasma protein in fishes [Dugenci et al., 2003].

The cholesterol level in the first group of our study with lower received essence (200 mg/kg) showed a relative reduction while in the second group with higher received essence (400 mg/kg) a significant reduction at cholesterol level rather than control group was observed. So it can be suggested that with increasing the dose the cholesterol level can be decreased more and this finding affects the improvement of livestock healthy function. The level of ALT and AST showed a relative reduction in comparison to control group that can be an indication of superior liver performance in condition of using savory. Regarding the survey of Nazari et al., [Nazari et al., 2006] about weight loss in rats, triglyceride and cholesterol reduction and cholesterol reduction in 400mg/kg essence received group, can be attributed to the cholesterol and triglyceride reduction and consequently lipid reduction in rats. In addition, according to the relative reduction in serum ALT and AST level it is concluded that savory essence led to the relative improvement in liver performance, too.

5. Conclusions

According to the obtained results related plant (savory essence) can lead to increase blood serum proteins. Finally conclude that high dose of savory essence results in increased reduction in triglycerides and increase in total blood proteins.