title: Comparative studies on hypocholesterolemic effect of different fractions of Hyphaene thebaica (Doum) in experimental animals.
abstract: A comparison of different fractions of the fruit of Hyphaene thebaica (Doum) was performed in order to investigate their effects on serum cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoproteins: HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol and Non-HDL cholesterol in normal rats. Female Sprague-Dawely rats were treated orally with different fractions of the Doum plant. We used atorvastatin and a natural extract of Monascus purpureus as references. The total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, Non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were estimated. Three fractions of the Doum plant exhibited a highly significant decrease in serum cholesterol and Non-HDL cholesterol. One fraction exhibited a highly significant decrease in cholesterol level but with only a moderately significant effect in decreasing the Non-HDL level. Decreasing Non-HDL, especially LDL, cholesterol, can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular diseases. The natural, safe and non-toxic Doum plant could be of great merit for use as a hypocholesterolemic drug.
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre, Pharmaceutical Industries Division, Chemistry of Natural Compounds Department, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt. monahetta@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hetta
authors.forename: N Z
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Yassin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011758:Pyrroles; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D000069059:Atorvastatin