Authors : D. Bala Sunder Reddy, P. Ravi Kumar, K. Bharavi and U. Venkateswarlu
Abstract: Hypolipidemic activity of methanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna leaves was evaluated in two hyperlipidemic rat models viz. triton injected and cholesterol and cholic acid fed models. Triton model rats received a single dose of Methanolic Extract of Terminalia arjuna Leaves (METAL) orally at 500 mg kg-1 b.wt. 2 h prior to triton injection. Cholesterol and cholic acid fed hyperlipidemic rats received METAL at 500 mg kg-1 b.wt. orally for 30 days. In triton model hypolipidemic activity of METAL was evaluated by estimating the serum concentrations of total cholesterol and triglycerides before and 18 post treatment hours after triton administration. In cholesterol and cholic acid fed hyperlipidemic rats, hypolipidemic activity was monitored by determining serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol on day 0 and 30. Cholic acid and desoxycholic acid in feces were estimated on day 0 and on 30 from the pooled fecal sample collected over 30 days. Serum lipids in general were found to be lowered by METAL in both models. However, METAL administration demonstrated increase in HDL cholesterol levels in cholesterol and cholic acid fed hyperlipidemic rats. Fecal bile acid excretion was found to be enhanced by METAL in cholesterol and cholic acid fed hyperlipidemic rats. The possible mechanism of lipid lowering activity of METAL may be due to rapid excretion of bile acids and/or inhibition of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis.
D. Bala Sunder Reddy, P. Ravi Kumar, K. Bharavi and U. Venkateswarlu, 2011. Hypolipidemic Activity of Methanolic Extract of Terminalia arjuna Leaves in Hyperlipidemic Rat Models. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 5: 172-175.