ABSTRACT
Paliurus spina-christi Mill [Rhamnaceae] has been used in folk medicine as a hypocholesterolemic agent. In this study, the effect of total fruit extract on lowering lipid content of serum was investigated. Male rats were introduced streptozocin, subsequently fed with a high cholesterol diet and concomitantly treated with various doses of the extract. After 8 days, serum levels of cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL were measured. It was found that the administration of 100 mg/kg/day of the extract had reduced the amount of total cholesterol by 45.5% and the administration of 50 mg/kg/day reduced the amount of triglyceride by 48.73%. No significant enhancement was found in the amount of HDL. It was concluded that of Paliurus spina-christi extract can inhibit the enhancement of cholesterol and triglyceride