Trachyspermum Ammi and Linum Usitatissimum are medicinal herbs used as hypolipidemic agents which protect against coronary artery disease

Abstract

Dyslipidemia or hyperlipidemia is a scientifically proved independent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) 1. Physiologically, free radicals are formed in many metabolic reactions occurring in human body which react with body tissues and endogenously synthesized low density lipopro-aBstract Abnormal deviations ratio between subgroups of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) in human body predisposes to the formation of atherogenic plaques which are main etiological factors for the development of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Many hypolipidemic herbs have been tested in the literature to prevent the occurrence of CAD. In this study we have used Trachyspermum Ammi (Ajwain; corn aniseed) and Linum Usitatissimum (Alsi, flaxseed) separately and in combination to investigate their anti-atherogenic and hypolipidemic features. Research was conducted at a Lahore General Hospital of Pakistan from February to June 2016. One hundred patients suffering from hyperlipidemia who were followed up in lipid research clinic of Jinnah Hospital, Lahore-Pakistan were enrolled in and approved written consent was taken from all patients. All patients were assigned to four different groups each , comprising of 25 patients. For three months, Group-I was treated with Ajwain, Group-II with Alsi, and Group-III with Ajwain plus Alsi. After three months therapy it was observed that Ajwain reduced LDL-cholesterol 23.77 mg/dl and increased HDLcholesterol 3.3 mg/dl. Alsi reduced LDL-cholesterol 7.5 mg/dl and increased HDL-cholesterol 5.3 mg/dl. Whereas combination of both agents decreased LDL-cholesterol 16.1 mg/dl and increased HDL-cholesterol 6.6 mg/dl in three months therapy. It was concluded from this research work that Alsi and Ajwain given separately or in combination, have good enough potential to reduce LDL-cholesterol but are less potent effect on HDL-cholesterol in hyperlipidemic patients.