Abstract

“ANTI-ATHEROSCLEROTIC ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF LEAVES OF MIRABILIS JALAPA IN HIGH FAT INDUCED ATHEROSCLEROSIS MODEL RATS”

Ranjitha M. V.* and U. Rajashekhar

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of methanolic extract of leaves of Mirabilis Jalapa in high fat diet induced atherosclerosis. Methanolic extract of leaves of Mirabilis Jalapa (MEMJ) were prepared and subjected to preliminary phytochemical investigations. Anti-atherosclerotic activity of MEMJ was evaluated in high fat diet (HFD) induced atherosclerosis model in Wister rats. Body weight changes, histopathology and lipid profile parameters were evaluated in HFD model. The phytochemical study revealed the presence of flavonoids compounds. MEMJ at a dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg exhibited significant decrease in TG, TC, LDL, VLDL when compared to high-fat diet group. This investigation reveals that the extract-treated groups lower the serum lipoproteins-TC, TG, LDL and VLDL levels and increase in HDL significantly, which reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. This was further confirmed by histopathological study and calculated statistically to evaluate the anti-atherosclerosis effect of “Mirabilis Jalapa”, and the high dose 400mg/kg body weight of MEMJ was found to more effective compared to the low dose 200mg/kg body weight of MEMJ.

Keywords: Mirabilis Jalapa, High fat diet, High density lipoproteins, Low density lipoproteins Very Low density lipoproteins, Total Cholesterol, Triglyceride.