Abstract

Hypolipidemic Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Leaves of Cnidoscolus Chayamansa In Hyperlipidemic Models of Wistar Albino Rats

Author(s): K. Kulathuran Pillai, N. Chidambaranathan, M. Mohamed Halith, S. Jayaprakash and N. Narayanan

The tree spinch (Cnidoscolus chayamansa Mc Vaughn, Euphorbiaceae), called “Chaya” in south texas , is popular in Mexico and Central America and has been introduced into the United states (Mainly south Texas and Florida) and now presently available in and around southern part of India, It is traditionally used for its various properties and hence in the present study, ethanolic extract of leaves of Cnidoscolus chayamansa has been screened for its hypolipidemic activity. Hypolipidemic activity is screened by inducing hyperlipidemia with the help of atherogenic diet in wistar albino rats and serum levels of various biochemical parameters such as total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL and HDL cholesterol were determined. Atherogenic index shows the measure of the atherogenic potential of the drugs. Ethanol extract showed significant (p < 0.01) hypolipidemic effect by lowering the serum levels of biochemical parameters such as significant reduction in the level of serum cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, VLDL and increase in HDL level which was similar to the standard drug Atorvastatin. Ethanol extract exhibited significant atherogenic index and percentage protection against hyperlipidemia. These biochemical observations were in turn confirmed by histopathological examinations of aorta, sections and are comparable with the standard hypolipidemic drug Atorvastatin. The overall experimental results suggests that the biologically active phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids present in the ethanol extract of Cnidoscolus chayamansa may be responsible for the significant hypolipidemic activity and the results justify the use of Cnidoscolus chayamansa as a significant Hypolipidemic agent.