Abstract

Pithecellobium dulce is a plant of numerous utilizations which has a great role in the conventional medicinal system. The present study was planned to assess the hypolipidemic efficacy and anti-oxidant activity of petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts of the peel of Pithecellobium dulce in high fat diet induced obese rats. Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanolic extract of peel were prepared by soxhlet method. Obesity was induced in Wistar rats by giving a high fat diet for 40 d. The lipid lowering activity was assessed by oral administration of extracts at two different dose levels (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) along with a high fat diet for 40 d. The lipid lowering activity was estimated in terms of serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, Low-density lipoprotein-Cholesterol, High-density lipoprotein-Cholesterol, Very Low-density lipoprotein Cholesterol, blood glucose levels, serum glutamate oxaloacetate and serum glutamate pyruvic transaminase. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, reduced glutathione, Glutathione peroxidase Glutathione reductase, Superoxide dismutase and Catalase were also estimated to evaluate anti-oxidant status. Administration of a high-fat diet for 40 successive d significantly increased bad cholesterol and glucose levels, decreased good cholesterol levels and also thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level was significantly higher and whereas, reduced Glutathione, Glutathione peroxidise, Glutathione reductase, Superoxide dismutase and Catalase were significantly lower in disease control animals. Animals treated with extracts for 40 successive days along with high fat diet reversed the effects induced by high fat in animals. The present study depicts that the Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanolic extract of the peel of Pithecellobium dulce shows potential lipid lowering effect and improvement in antioxidant status.