Abstract
Recently use of herbal therapies and diet rich in flavonoids and vitamins has augmented significantly to manage minor to modest illnesses. Several anti-hyperlipidemic agents are currently available; however most of them have various unwanted effects. That’s why more people are switching towards safer alternatives, specially derived from plants with fewer side effects. Hence current study was focused to determine the anti-hyperlipidemic potential of Nelumbo nucifera fruit in rabbits fed with high cholesterol diet. This study would surely help in the exploration of a novel agent from the plant source and therefore may recommend the application of traditional medicines in humans. 28 white healthy rabbits of either sex weighing 1000 - 1500 gm were divided into four groups. Control group was given gum tragacanth and 3 groups served as test groups and were given N. nucifera fruit extract 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg for 45 days. Initially animals of all four groups received high cholesterol diet (HCD) 0.125 gm/kg cholesterol in 0.5% corn oil for 30 days. All drugs were given orally. Blood samples were taken thrice from the ear vein of animals, 1st after 24 hours of thirty days of HCD then again after 24 hours of thirty and forty five days dosing of N. nucifera fruit extract. The results showed remarkable cholesterol lowering effects of N. nucifera fruit extract at doses 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg but were particularly dominant at 200 mg/kg at which fruit extract highly significantly reduced TC, TG and LDL-C after 30 and 45 days and increased HDL-C significantly after 30 days and highly significantly after 45 days. Flavonoids, saponins, tannins and procyanidin are significant constituents of N. nucifera fruit which may have contributed in lipid lowering effects of N. nucifera fruit which can contribute in lowering the risk of CVDs and stroke but more preclinical and clinical studies are required to confirm these findings.
Highlights
Herbal Medicine or Herbalism is the practice or art of employing herbs and herbal preparations in order to remain healthy and for the treatment and improvement in prognosis of diseases [1]
Control group was given gum tragacanth and 3 groups served as test groups and were given N. nucifera fruit extract 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg for 45 days
The results showed remarkable cholesterol lowering effects of N. nucifera fruit extract at doses 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg but were dominant at 200 mg/kg at which fruit extract highly significantly reduced total serum cholesterol (TC), TG and LDL-C after 30 and 45 days and increased HDL-C significantly after 30 days and highly significantly after 45 days
Summary
Herbal Medicine or Herbalism is the practice or art of employing herbs and herbal preparations in order to remain healthy and for the treatment and improvement in prognosis of diseases [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has given its estimation that more than 2/3rd of the global population in recent times depends on alternative sources of treatment to fulfill the basic healthcare requirements and this most importantly embroils the usage of plant products. This means that nearby two-thirds of the people globally trust on plants as a reliable way of their medication [2]. Several anti-hyperlipidemic agents are currently available; most of them have associations with various unwanted effects. That’s why more people are switching towards safer alternatives, specially derived from plants with fewer side effects [3]
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