<![CDATA[Abstract: Papaya (Carica papaya L) is rich of antioxidants, such as betacarotene, which is a powerful antidote to reactive oxygen compound (ROS) and stimulates the body to convert toxic substances into harmless compounds. In atherosclerotic lesions, antioxidants inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and prevent the oxidative stress, therefore, reducing the vascular endothelial dysfunction. This study aimed to obtain the effect of papaya given orally on histopathological changes which was determined by numbers of foam cells and abdominal aortic wall thickness of male hypercholesterolemic wistar rats. This was an experimental study. Samples were 24 adult male wistar rats divided into five groups. The negative control group K1 was fed on standard diet for 2 weeks and the positive control group K2, each was fed on diet of egg yolks 5 mg/day for 2 weeks. There were three treatment groups: P1, each was fed on papaya juice 2,6 g/day for 2 weeks; P2, each was fed on papaya juice 2,6 g/day for 4 weeks; and P3, each was fed on papaya juice 2,6 g/day for 6 weeks by using nasogastric tube. After the treatment period of each sample group, the wistar rats were decapitated, and then the levels of total cholesterol and LDL of blood serum were examined as well as the histopathological changes were identified. Data were analyzed by using Oneway-Anova test, followed by Post-Hoc test. The results showed that among P1, P2, and P3 groups there were reductions in the numbers of foam cells in the walls of the abdominal aorta and in the thickness of abdominal aortic wall compared to the K2. Conclusion: Papaya juice which was given orally for 2-4 weeks could reduce the histopathological changes of abdominal aortic walls of male hypercholesteremic wistar rats.Keywords: papaya, antioxidant, hypercholesterolemic, histopathological changes, fatty streakAbstrak: Pepaya (Carica papaya L) kaya akan antioksidan beta-karoten yang merupakan penawar kuat untuk senyawa oksigen reaktif (ROS) dan berkemampuan menstimulasi tubuh untuk mengubah substansi toksik menjadi senyawa yang tidak berbahaya. Pada lesi aterosklerotik, antioksidan dapat menghambat oksidasi kolesterol LDL dan stres oksidatif sehingga mengurangi terjadinya disfungsi endotel pembuluh darah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efek pemberian jus buah pepaya secara oral terhadap gambaran histopatologik yaitu jumlah sel busa dan ketebalan dinding pembuluh darah dari aorta abdo-minalis tikus wistar jantan yang hiperkolesterolemik. Penelitian ini bersifat eksperimental dengan rancangan Randomized Post-test Only Control Group Design. Sampel 24 ekor tikus wistar jantan dewasa dibagi dalam 5 kelompok. Kelompok kontrol negatif K1 diberi diet pakan standar selama 2 minggu dan kelompok kontrol positif K2 diberi diet kuning telur 5 mg/ekor/hari selama 2 minggu. Terdapat tiga kelompok perlakuan: P1 diberi jus pepaya 2,6 g/ekor/hari selama 2 minggu; P2 diberi jus pepaya 2,6 g/ekor/hari selama 4 minggu; dan P3 yang diberi jus pepaya 2,6 g/ekor/hari selama 6 minggu melalui sonde hidung. Setelah masa perlakuan masing-masing kelompok, sampel didekapitasi, kemudian diukur kadar kolesterol total dan LDL serum darah, serta diidentifikasi gambaran histopatologik yaitu jumlah sel busa dan ketebalan dinding aorta abdominalis. Data dianalisis dengan uji Oneway- Anova dan dilanjutkan dengan uji Post-Hoc. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian jus buah pepaya 2,6 gram/ekor pada kelompok perlakuan P1, P2, dan P3 dapat menurunkan jumlah sel busa pada dinding aorta abdominalis dan ketebalan dinding aorta abdominalis tikus wistar jantan yang hiperkolesterolemik dibandingkan dengan kelompok kontrol positif K2. Simpulan: Pemberian jus pepaya per oral selama 2-4 minggu dapat menurunkan perubahan histopatologik dinding aorta abdominalis tikus wistar jantan yang hiperkolesterolemik.Kata kunci: pepaya, antioksidan, hiperkolesterolemik, histopatologik, fatty streak.]]>
