Advances in Life Sciences 2014, 4(2): 73-78

DOI: 10.5923/j.als.20140402.06

Assessing the Effect of the Savory (Satureja Hortensis L.)
Essence on Some Biochemical Factors in Rat's Blood
Serum
Hamid Iranpour Mobarakeh
1,*
, H. Soleyman Dehkordi
3
, M. Jafarian Dehkordi
2
, F. Khamesipour
3
1
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord Branch, Shahrekord, Iran
2
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord Branch, Shahrekord, Iran
3
Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran

Abstract 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 used to alleviate neurological, rheumatic, rickets and used as infusion in order to remove digestive, parasitic
and urinary disorders. It has carminative and appetizing and sexual stimulant activity too. 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. In this study savory essences in 200 and 400 mg/kg levels were prescribed respectively for animals in two
treatment groups through oral administration during 21 days and the third group as control received no composition. In this
study it was observed that after measuring biochemical factors of blood serum the savory essences led to decrease cholesterol
level significantly in the group which had been received 400mg/kg savory essences. Also it led to a relative reduction of
serum AST and ALT level. Moreover with respect to achieved results in present and previous study, savory essence can
reinforce antioxidant defense system and prevent free radicals formation in body. According to the obtained results related
plant can lead to increase blood serum proteins.
Keywords Savory, Satureja hortensis L., Biochemical factors, Serum, Rats

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

* Corresponding author:
iranpour8363@gmail.com (Hamid Iranpour Mobarakeh)
Published online at http://journal.sapub.org/als
Copyright 2014 Scientific & Academic Publishing. All Rights Reserved
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
74 Hamid Iranpour Mobarakeh et al.: Assessing the Effect of the Savory (Satureja Hortensis L.)
Essence on Some Biochemical Factors in Rat's Blood Serum

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
21515 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
119.254.9 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in
comparison to control group (117.721 mg/dl). The level of
serum triglyceride in the second group was 84.514.8 mg/dl
which showed no significant difference in comparison to
control group (117.721 mg/dl) but a relative reduction (p<
0.05) (Table 1; Figure 1).
The level of total protein in the first group was 8.30.56
mg/dl which showed no significant difference in comparison
to control group (7.51.7 mg/dl). The level of total protein in
the second group was 7.60.88 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).
The level of LDL in the first group was 5.82 mg/dl which
showed no significant difference in comparison to control
group (4.31 mg/dl). The level of LDL in the second group
was 5.12.2 mg/dl which showed no significant difference in
comparison to control group (4.31 mg/dl) but increased
relatively in both treatment groups in comparison to control
group (p< 0.05) (Table 1; Figure 3).
The level of HDL in the first group was 111.8 mg/dl
which showed no significant difference in comparison to
control group (121.4 mg/dl). The level of HDL in the
second group was 8.71.7 mg/dl which showed no
significant difference in comparison to control group
(121.4 mg/dl) but HDL level showed a relative reduction
groups in comparison to control group (Table 1; Figure 4).
In the first group the level of cholesterol was 87.228
mg/dl which showed no significant differences than control
group (142.224.13 mg/dl). However it had a relative
reduction than control group. The cholesterol in the second
group was at 6920 mg/dl level that showed no significant
differences (p< 0.05) than control group (142.224.13 mg/dl)
(Table 1; Figure 5).
The proportion of ALT in the first group was 70.526
mg/dl which showed no significant differences than control
group (8010.1 mg/dl). The proportion of ALT in the second
group was 73.717.2 mg/dl which showed no significant
differences than control group (8010.1 mg/dl). However,
both treatments groups showed a relative reduction than
control group (Table 2; Figure 6).
Table 1. The effect of savory essence on biochemical factors of rat blood serum
Groups
Savory essence was
used (SDMean)
Total protein
(SDMean)
Cholesterol
(SDMean)
Triglyceride
(SDMean)
LDL
(SDMean)
HDL
(SDMean)
Control - 7.51.7
a
142.224.13
a
117.721
a
4.31
a
121.4
a
Group 1 200 mg/kg 8.30.56
a
87.228
ab
11954.9
a
5.82
a
111.8
a
Group 2 400 mg/kg 7.60.88
a
6920
b
84.514.8
a
5.12.2
a
8.71.7
a
In each column the numbers with similar letter have no significant differences (p< 0.05)
Advances in Life Sciences 2014, 4(2): 73-78 75



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

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

Figure 3. The effect of savory essence level of LDL of rat blood serum
76 Hamid Iranpour Mobarakeh et al.: Assessing the Effect of the Savory (Satureja Hortensis L.)
Essence on Some Biochemical Factors in Rat's Blood Serum


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

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

Figure 6. The effect of savory essence level of ALT of rat blood serum
Advances in Life Sciences 2014, 4(2): 73-78 77



Figure 7. The effect of savory essence level of AST of rat blood serum
The proportion of AST in the first group was 150.336.9
mg/dl which showed no significant differences than control
group (173.755.8 mg/dl). The proportion of AST in the
second group was 15545.5 mg/dl which showed no
significant differences than control group (173.755.8
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
Groups
Savory essence was
used (SDMean)
ALT
(SDMean)
AST
(SDMean)
Control - 8010.1
a
173.755.8
a
Group 1 200 mg/kg 70.526
a
150.336.9
a
Group 2 400 mg/kg 73.717.2
a
15545.5
a
In each column the numbers with similar letter have no significant
differences (p< 0.05)
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
78 Hamid Iranpour Mobarakeh et al.: Assessing the Effect of the Savory (Satureja Hortensis L.)
Essence on Some Biochemical Factors in Rat's Blood Serum

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.

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