title: Isolation of phytosterols and antihyperlipidemic activity of Lagenaria siceraria.
abstract: Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl in the Cucurbitaceae family is a large, pubescent, climbing, or trailing herb cultivated throughout India and the tropical regions of the world. Phytochemical investigation of the methanol extract obtained from the fruits of the plant L. siceraria showed a positive Liebermann-Burchard test for sterols. The white sterol crystals or phytosterols from the methanol extract were isolated for the first time and identified as a mixture of four sterols, including fucosterol (1), racemosol (2), stigmasterol (3), and stigmasta-7,22-dien-3β,4β-diol (4). These compounds were identified by spectroscopic evidence including FTIR, (1)H-NMR, MS, and GC. The white sterol crystals, which are the mixture of four sterols, were evaluated for antihyperlipidemic activity in Wistar rats. The blood samples were collected from the retro-orbital plexus and serum was separated and analyzed for lipid profiles. These sterol crystals (30 mg/kg) showed significant reductions in lipid profiles which included cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and VLDL. In addition, a significant increase in HDL cholesterol observed, which is a good cholesterol that protects hearts from coronary artery diseases. These sterol crystals or phytosterols can be used as an antihyperlipidemic agent to treat the hyperlipidemic.
authors.affiliation: Sharad Pawar College of Pharmacy, Wanadongri, Hingna Road, Nagpur 441 110, India. kalsait.ravi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ravi P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Kalsait
authors.forename: Pramod B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Khedekar
authors.forename: Ashok N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Saoji
authors.forename: Kishor P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Bhusari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL / Q000097:blood; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D019662:Cucurbitaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007194:India; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012997:Solvents; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D010840:Phytosterols; D012997:Solvents; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D000432:Methanol