Anti-Hyperlipidemic Effect of Fumaria officinalis in High-Fat-Diet Induced Hyperlipidemic Rats

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the antihyperlipidemic effect of aqueous ethanolic extract from the aerial parts of Fumaria officinalis in high-fat-diet induced hyperlipidemic rats.  Antihyperlipidemic drug simvastatin (10 mg/kg) was used as a standard drug. The rats were fed with high-fat-diet for the induction of hyperlipidemia for two weeks. Aqueous ethanolic extract of Fumaria officinal was orally administered in doses of 150, 200 and 250 mg/kg/day to rats fed with high-fat-diet. At the end of experimental period, the rats were sacrificed, and the lipid profile was examined by standard procedures and histopathology of liver sections was also performed. Fumaria officinalis has revealed a significant (p<0.05) dose dependent decrease in the levels of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL and non-significant increase in the level of serum HDL like standard drug simvastatin. It is concluded that aqueous ethanolic extract of F. officinalis aerial parts possess a dose-dependent significant antihyperlipidemic activity against high-fat-diet induced hyperlipidemic rats hence it could be a potential herbal medicine for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.