Abstract
Background: Antithrombotic medications, including antiplatelet agents, are standard treatments for patients with hyperlipidemia who have a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The ongoing exploration of new antiplatelet agents with minimal bleeding effects is crucial, including the investigation of potential compounds derived from natural products. This study intended to evaluate the antiplatelet effects of a combined extract of sappan wood (Caesalpinia sappan L.) and red ginger (Zingiber officinale var. Rubrum) in high-fat diet-(HFD)-induced rats. Methods: Eighteen male Wistar rats were grouped into six groups (n = 3): control, negative, positive, and three groups of various combinations of extracts. All groups, excluding the control group, were fed an HFD for 8 weeks. In the eighth week, the control and negative groups were given carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC) 0.5%, the positive control group was administered aspirin, and the other three groups were administered the combination extract of sappan wood and red ginger at various doses for 2 weeks. Blood samples were collected to assess the levels of hyperlipidemia and platelet hyperactivity markers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The physiological effects of platelet hyperactivity were evaluated using the tail bleeding assay. Results: HFD-induced hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia synergistically enhanced platelet hyperactivity after 8 weeks of induction. Interestingly, administration of all doses of the combined extract for 2 weeks significantly decreased the platelet activation markers P-selectin, RANTES, and PCSK9 in a dose-dependent manner compared with the negative control. In addition, the combination of sappan wood and red ginger extract at dose 3 (sappan wood:red ginger: 200:800 mg/200 bw/day) significantly extended the bleeding time of rats (p < 0.05) compared to the negative control. Conclusion: Collectively, our results highlight the antiplatelet effect of a combination of sappan wood and red ginger extract in HFD-fed rats.