title: Effect of Silybin on Lipid Profile in Hypercholesterolaemic Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyperlipidemia is a major cause of atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis associated conditions, such as Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), ischaemic cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease. Though there are hypolipidemic drugs available, the search for a more efficacious hypo lipidemic agent was always going on.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of Silybin on lipid profile in Hypercholesterolaemic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  After grant of permission from animal ethics committee, the animals were divided into four groups of eight each (normal control, Experimental control with High cholesterol diet, High cholesterol diet + Silybin 300mg, High cholesterol diet + Silybin 600mg). At the end of 60 days the animals in all the groups were subjected to overnight fasting followed by plasma and liver biochemical analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were analysed by ANNOVA followed by Duncan's multi range test and the value of p≤0.05 was used as the criterion for statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rats fed on high cholesterol diet showed significant increase in serum total cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL-C and VLDL-C. Treatment with Silybin significantly decreased serum total cholesterol (24%), Triglycerides (21%), LDL-C (24%) in a dose dependent manner. Rats treated with Silybin (300 and 600 mg/kg) showed significant increase in hepatic HDL -C and decrease in other lipid profiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with Silybin significantly decreased both serum and hepatic total cholesterol, triglycerides, VLDL-C, LDL-C and increased HDL-C at both doses.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical college , Pondicherry, India .
authors.forename: Senthil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gobalakrishnan
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Raja Muthia Medical College , Chidambaram, India .
authors.forename: Sylvia Santhakumari
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Asirvatham
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical college , Pondicherry, India .
authors.forename: Venkatraman
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Janarthanam
keywords: Coronary heart disease; Hyperlipidemia; Siliphos