Abstract:The hypolipidaemic effect of ethanol leaf extract of Moringa oleifera in experimentally induced hypercholesterolemic rats was investigated. Thirty six (36) wistar rats of both sexes weighing 130.53±4.86 were used for the study. The animals were completely randomized into six groups (A-F) comprising 6 animals each. Groups A, B and C comprise female rats administered 1 ml of distilled water, high dose of 600 mg/kg and low dose of 300 mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively. Groups D, E and F comprise male rats administered 1 ml of distilled water, high dose of 600 mg/kg and low dose of 300 mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding the animals with high fat diet for 21 days before administration of the extract. After the 21 days of feeding, administration of extract lasted for 14 days. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that the ethanol leaf extract of M. oleifera contains alkaloids, tannins, carbohydrates and cardiac glycosides. Only the high dose female group (600 mg/kg body weight) lost or maintained their body weight significantly (p<0.05), the rest did not. Body weight was not significantly (p>0.05) altered in the male group administered low dose and high dose, showing that the dose of the extract slightly affected their weight. For serum lipids, serum total cholesterol concentration in both male and female reduced significantly (p<0.05), both in those given low and high doses of the extract. Serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) level significantly (p<0.05) increased both in male and female rats that were administered high dose of 600 mg/kg body weight of the extract, but was not significantly (p>0.05) affected in other groups. Serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) level also reduced significantly (p<0.05) in both male and female rats that were administered high dose of the extract, but was not significantly (p>0.05) altered for those that received low doses (300 mg/kg body weight) of the extract. There was no significant (p>0.05) reduction in the LDLC of the male rats. Serum triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration in male and female rats reduced significantly (p<0.05), in those that received low and high doses of the extract. Overall, findings from the present study suggest that the ethanol leaf extract of M. oleifera has hypolipidaemic effect. Therefore, the leafy vegetable may be recommended to patients that have problems with high serum lipid profiles and also for people that want to lose or maintain body weight.

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