Evaluation of antihyperlipidemic potential of aqueous corm extract of Colocasia esculenta in experimental model of rats

Abstract

Introduction: Hyperlipidaemia is characterised by elevated or abnormally high levels of lipids and/or lipoproteins in the blood. The current medication for hyperlipidaemia only alleviates symptoms temporarily and is not without any unfavorable side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to find innovative medications from the plant kingdom that could provide a therapeutic solution that is both affordable and free of unfavorable side effects. We conducted an experiment to evaluate the antihyperlipidemic properties of an aqueous corm extract (CE) using acute hyperlipidaemia models. Methods: For our experiment, we employed 60 Wistar rats of both sex, which were divided into five separate groups (n = 6 each) for each model. Poloxamer-407 (P-407) and d-fructose were used to induce hyperlipidemic activity in the rats, and the standard used was fenofibrate (250 mg/kg p.o.). For a period of 15 days for P-407 and 21 days for d-fructose, our study assessed the efficacy of an aqueous corm extract at dosages of 200 and 300 mg/kg (p.o.). Hyperlipidemic activity was assessed using a variety of parameters. The histopathology of rat liver was also estimated. Results: The corm extract treatment led to a notable decrease in the cholesterol, and triglycerides in the elevated lipid levels that were induced by P-407 and d- fructose. The extract also showed a significant decrease in the LDL and VLDL levels. Conclusion: Our study indicates that the CE has the potential as an antihyperlipidemic agent, possibly due to its ability to inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol, and facilitate the catabolism and excretion of the other lipids. The CE is rich in nutrients and phytochemicals like flavonoids and saponins, which may contribute to its hypolipidemic effect.

Keywords

• Hypolipidemic
• Colocasia
• Corm extract
• Poloxamer-407
• Fructose