Anti-Hypercholesterolemic and Hepatoprotective effect of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Moringa oleifera in Rats fed with Thermoxidized Palm Oil Diet

Abstract

In the impact of Moringa oleifera leaf extract on the lipid profile and key liver function enzymes of female rats fed with palm oil diets, twenty-five (25) female rats were divided into five groups (A-E). The rats in group A served as the control, fed with rat chow and water ad libitum, group B (FPO) and C (TPO) were fed with Fresh palm oil and thermoxidized palm oil diet respectively, while group D (FPO + MO) and E (TPO+MO) were fed with fresh palm oil diet and thermoxidized oil with 600mg/kgbody weight of Moringa leaf extract added in each respectively. Each of the palm oil diet contained 15 %( w/w) thermoxidized or fresh palm oil. At the end of 28 days administration, blood samples were collected for the analysis of lipid profile and key liver function enzymes. The result showed that HDL was significantly (P<0.05) increased in all the test samples except TPO, while LDL followed a reverse trend. The Serum alanine amino tranferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in all the test samples except TPO which was significantly (P<0.05) increased. Serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) showed decrease in all the test samples except TPO which was significantly (P<0.05) increased. The results indicate that Moringa oleifera has anti-hypercholesterolemic effect. The serum enzyme levels also show that the liver tissue integrity was stabilized by the addition of Moringa oleifera leaf extract to thermoxidized palm oil diet hence its hepatoprotective activity.