ABSTRACT
Objective: The present study was designed to examine the effect of 70% ethanol extract of Simmondsia chinensis seeds on lipid profile in rabbits. Material and methods: The plant extract was orally administered to the atherogenic rabbits (atherogenic diet + cholesterol powder supplement at 400 mg/kg/body weight/ day dissolved in 5 mL coconut oil) at dose of 500mg/kg body weight/day. During the hall period of the experiment blood samples were collected and serum was analyzed for lipid profile. At the end of the experiment the animals were sacrificed; the heart and the liver were collected and stored at -20°C until assayed. Biochemical analysis of blood serum and tissue (liver and heart muscle) were performed for cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides. In addition blood serum was analyzed further for HDLcholesterol. Results: All the results were by administration of Simmondsia chinensis seeds. Serum cholesterol levels dropped from 957.57 to 223.3 and further to 143.4 by the end of the experiment. Similarly, phospholipids statistically analyzed using student’s t-test. Hypolipidaemic nature of Simmondsia chinensis extract was studied in hyperlipidaemic rabbits. The increased cholesterol levels were brought to normal and triglycerides levels were reduced. The tissues lipids profiles of liver and heart muscle showed similar changes in those noticed in serum lipids. Conclusion: We can conclude from these results that a Simmondsia chinensis seed possesses active hypolipidaemic constituents. The results suggest the validity of Simmondsia chinensis seeds clinical use in hypolipidaemic control, after their toxicological investigation.