Antihyperlipidemic effect of the methanolic extract from Lagenaria siceraria Stand. fruit in hyperlipidemic rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Lagenaria siceraria Stand. (Cucurbitaceae) fruits have been used, traditionally, in the treatment of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerotic impasse and considered as cardioprotective and cardiotonic drug. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present work was undertaken to investigate the effects of methanolic extract from Lagenaria siceraria in experimentally induced hyperlipidemia in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Methanolic extract of Lagenaria siceraria fruits (LSFE) (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg; p.o.) was administered to the high fat-diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats for 30 days to evaluate its antihyperlipidemic activity. Atorvastatin (10mg/kg; p.o.) was used as a standard drug. RESULTS: At the 30 th day, most significant reduction in lipid levels in the LSFE treated rats as compared to the rats fed with high-fat diet at the 0th day were: total cholesterol 290.14+/-18.42 mg/dl vs. 228.58+/-16.38 mg/dl, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 195.14+/-8.86 mg/dl vs. 120.57+/-8.11 mg/dl, triglyceride 232.41+/-15.22 mg/dl vs. 181.79+/-15.68 mg/dl, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 46.48+/-3.04 mg/dl vs. 36.35+/-3.13 mg/dl (P<0.0001). Conversely, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly (P<0.0001) increased from 48.52+/-6.52 to 71.66+/-5.14 mg/dl. The increase in weight in rats administered with LSFE was less when compared to rats fed with high-fat diet. Moreover, LSFE also exhibited significant increase in excretion of bile acids. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that the LSFE has a definite antihyperlipidemic potential. There is also a valid scientific basis for consuming it in the treatment of coronary artery diseases in India.

Hypolipidemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) fruit extracts.

Bottle gourd [(Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Stand.] fruit is ascribed with many therapeutic effects. The present study was undertaken to explore the antihyperlipidemic effect of four different extracts viz. petroleum ether, chloroform, alcoholic and aqueous extracts from bottle gourd in Triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats and their hypolipidemic effects in normocholesteremic rats. The study is comprised preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts. Oral administration of the extracts, at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight in rats, dose-dependently inhibited the total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins level, and significantly increased the high density lipoproteins level. However, petroleum ether extract did not show the significant effects. Both the chloroform and alcoholic extract exhibited more significant effects in lowering total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoproteins along with increase in HDL as compared to the others. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, sterols, cucurbitacin saponins, polyphenolics, proteins, and carbohydrates. The results obtained suggest marked antihyperlipidemic and hypolipidemic activity of the extracts.