A study on hypolipedimic effect of luffa aegiptiaca mill fruits

Mohammed Ibrahim, Anjum Aara, Abdul Hameed Thayyil
1Centre for Liver Research and Diagnostics, Deccan College of Medical Sciences and Allied Hospitals, Kanchanbagh, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, 2Nizam Institute of Pharmacy, Deshmukhi, pochampally (Mandal), Near Ramoji Film City, Nalgonda, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

The methanolic extract of Luffa aegiptiaca mill fruits were investigated for their possible hypolipedimic effect on hypercholesterolemia inducedin New Zealand white rabbits by feeding the animals with normal diet supplemented with 1% cholesterol and 10% ground nut oil for 8 weeks. Rabbits with normal diet and hypercholesterolemic diets throughout the experiment were used as negative and positive control respectively. There was a significant increase in the weight of hypercholesterolemic rabbits when compared to normal control. It was observed that hypercholesterolemic rabbits treated with normal diet elicited a significant reduction in fasting serum cholesterol (10.5%) triglycerides (15.5%) and LDL cholesterol (40.11%), but a significant increase in HDL cholesterol (16.4%) and also in the HDL/LDL ratio (1.10). Methanolic extract of Luffa aegiptiaca mill fruits significantly reduced serum total cholesterol by 61.2 % and 51.5% respectively, triglycerides by 45.6 % and 26 % and LDL cholesterol by 85 and 83 % respectively..They also increased serum HDL by 24.2 and 25 % respectively leading to increased HDL / LDL Cholesterol ratio (3.42 and 3.35 respectively). This trend was similar with aorta stained with eosine and haematoxylin showed fewer lesions in the hyper cholesterolemic rabbit treated with methanolic extract of Luffa aegiptiaca mill fruits when compared with control cholesterolemic rabbits. These observations demonstrated that Luffa aegiptiaca mill fruits have strong hypolipedemic effect which compared with improved HDL / LDL ratio is an indication of the possible use of this fruits in the treatment of the diseases associated with hyperlipidemia such as ishcaemic heart disease and arteriosclerosis.