ABSTRACT
Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for development of coronary artery disease. Cassia auriculata is traditionally used in India for medicinal purposes. In this study, effect of ethanolic extract of Cassia auriculata flowers (Et-CAF) was investigated in Triton WR1339-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Treatment with the Et-CAF (450 mg/kg b.wt) significantly reduced the total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL) levels and significantly increased the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level associated with reduction of atherogenic index in hyperlipidemic rats. However, there was no change in the serum lipid profile of normal rats treated with Et-CAF alone. The results suggest that Et-CAF has a beneficial effect in treating hyperlipidemia and may serve as a potential drug for prevention of hyperlipidemic atherosclerosis.
Subject(s)
Animals , Blood Glucose/drug effects , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Body Weight/drug effects , Cassia/chemistry , Cholesterol/blood , Cholesterol/metabolism , Cholesterol, HDL/blood , Cholesterol, HDL/drug effects , Cholesterol, HDL/metabolism , Cholesterol, LDL/blood , Cholesterol, LDL/drug effects , Cholesterol, LDL/metabolism , Ethanol/chemistry , Flowers/chemistry , Hyperlipidemias/blood , Hyperlipidemias/chemically induced , Hyperlipidemias/drug therapy , Hypolipidemic Agents/isolation & purification , Hypolipidemic Agents/pharmacology , Hypolipidemic Agents/therapeutic use , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Triglycerides/blood , Triglycerides/metabolismABSTRACT
Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standley fruit (bottle gourd), a commonly used vegetable in India is described as cardiotonic and as a general tonic in Ayurveda. Keeping in view the presence of free radical scavenging activity in L. siceraria and involvement of free radicals in the development of various disorders, present studies were designed to evaluate the ethanolic extract of L. siceraria fruit against the disorders where free radicals play a major role in pathogenesis. The extract was found effective as hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, immunomodulatory, antihyperlipidemic and cardiotonic agent. The results showed that the radical scavenging capacity of L. siceraria fruit may be responsible for various biological activities studied.