Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are characterized by strokes and coronary artery disease. Hyperlipidemia and free radicals generation in the body are among the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Statin drugs such as lovastatin and atorvastatin are mostly prescribed for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. However, many patients show intolerance toward these drugs and develops mild symptoms, which include myalgia and cramps, to the most severe Rhabdomyolysis. In this study, we have qualitatively determined the phytochemicals in Doum (Hyphaene thebaica) fruit aqueous extract and the antioxidant activity using the DPPH assay. Furthermore, we have investigated the hypolipidemic potential of the extract in Wistar rats. Freshly prepared aqueous extract of the Doum fruit with concentration 200 - 400 mg/kg and 20mg/kg of atorvastatin were orally administered to the Wistar rats fed with high - fat diet for two weeks and were sacrificed for hyperlipidemic analysis. The qualitative determination of the phytochemicals indicates the presence of steroids, saponin, tannins, phlobatannins, terpenoids, alkaloid, glycoside, and flavonoids. The fruit extract shows antioxidant activity by scavenging the DPPH radicals with IC50 of 128 µm/mL. Both the fruit extract and atorvastatin decreased serum total glyceride cholesterol, total cholesterol, LDL, and increased HDL level significantly (P < 0.05). This result revealed the anti-hyperlipidemic, and antioxidant potential of Doum fruit. Therefore, it could be useful in managing hyperlipidemia, thereby reducing the risk factor of cardiovascular diseases in the end.

The ethnopharmacological uses of shea butter provides an evidence of its uses in our dishes and has been a tradition in many West African continent. This may be related due to it higher nutritional values, phytochemical content etc hence make it's a valuable material in African folk medicine. This study is aimed to evaluate the phytochemicals, proximate and physicochemical analysis of Shea Butter. The AOAC protocols were followed for the proximate and physicochemical analyses, whereas the Brain and tuner techniques were used for the qualitative phytochemical study. The qualitative phytochemical analysis reveals the presence of various phytochemicals such as Terpenoids, Alkaloids, Saponins, Flavonoids, Tannins and Cardiac glycosides, the proximate analysis shows the percentage composition of Moisture (1.233±0.033), Ash (0.090 ± 0.0), Protein (3.103 ± 0.023), Fat (92.91±0.069) and Carbohydrate (2.660 ± 0.098), whereas the Physicochemical analysis shows the Physical and Chemical parameters as; Slip point 0 C (68.67±0.67), Clear point 0 C (119.3 ± 0.66), Smoke point 0 C (162.0 ± 1.155), Flash point 0 C (198.7±0.67), Fire point 0 C (302.0 ± 1.155), Specific gravity (0.856±0.001) Refractive Index @25 0 C (1.531 ± 0.003), Free fatty acid Value (0.533 ± 0.0067), Saponification Value (186.9 ± 0.073) Iodine Value (30.78 ± 0.012), Peroxide Value (0.9367±0.012). The findings revealed that, the Shea butter contained certain phyto-constituents and it physicochemical parameters fulfilled the FOA/WHO criteria. Similarly, shea butter contains some nutritionally significant components and has health benefits in addition to its numerous industrial applications.