EFFECT OF <i>ALOE BARBADENSIS</i> ON THE LIPID PROFILE AND FASTING BLOOD SUGAR CONCENTRATION OF RABBITS FED HIGH CHOLESTEROL DIET

Abstract

The effect of aqueous extract of Aloe barbadensis on plasma total cholesterol (CHOL), Low – density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high – density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), triacylglycerol (TAG), and fasting blood sugar (FBS) concentrations in rabbits fed high cholesterol diet was examined. Two groups of animals were fed a basal diet and a high cholesterol diet {basal diet containing 1% cholesterol and 1% vegetable oil (wt/wt)} respectively, for 3months. A third group of animals received a daily oral intake of aqueous extract of Aloe barbadensis in addition to the high cholesterol diet for the same duration of time. The high cholesterol diet elicited 12.2 - , 67.5 – and 2.3 – fold increases in the CHOL, LDL and FBS concentrations respectively (P < 0.001) but a 1.2 – fold decrease in the HDL concentration (P < 0.01) relative to the control group. Treatment with Aloe barbadensis resulted in a decrease of 3.8% (P >0.001), 4.0% (P > 0.001)and 52.3% (P < 0.001) in the CHOL, LDL and FBS concentrations respectively while the HDL concentration was elevated by 50.9% (P< 0.01) relative to the group fed high cholesterol diet. Our results bring to the fore again, the link between hyperlipidemia (coronary heart disease) and increased sugar concentration in the body (diabetes) and show that Aloe barbadensis has protective effects against these two pathological states. KEY WORDS: Aloe barbadensis; hypercholesterolemia; fasting blood sugar; rabbits Global Jnl Pure & Applied Sciences Vol.10(1) 2004: 139-142