Anti-hyperlipidemic and Biochemical Effect of Aqueous Extract of Combretum dolichopetalum in High Cholesterol Diet Fed Rats

It is commonly known that atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CAD) are associated with hyperlipidemia, which is brought on by abnormalities in the transportation, production, or catabolism of cholesterol. Hence, preventing hyperlipidemia can positively impact managing and treating cardiovascular diseases. This present study aimed to examine the possible aqueous extract's effects of Combretum dolichopetalum (AECD) on liver indices and lipid status in rats on a diet rich in cholesterol. Five groups of twenty-five male albino Wistar rats, weighing between 130 and 160 grams, were assembled. Group A (Standard control group), Group B (Hyperlipidemic control), Group C (treatment): which received high cholesterol diet (HCD) + AECD (200 mg/kg bwt.), Group D: HCD + AECD (400 mg/kg bwt), Group E: HCD + atorvastatin (standard drug) (30 mg/kg bwt). The rats were sacrificed on day 28th of the experiment, and samples were obtained for liver indices and lipid profile using standard protocols. The findings show that the treatment groups' lipid profile was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of the hyperlipidemic controls. The liver enzymes; alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin (DB), remain unchanged across all groups. These findings suggest that AECD is beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels and does not have a toxic effect on the liver.