Lipid-lowering effect of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extracts on Triton WR 1339 – induced hyperlipidaemia in the rats

Vernonia amygdalina is a common plant reported to have several health benefits. This study investigated the dose dependent hypolipidemic potentials of the leaf extracts, following Triton WR 1339 induced hyperlipidemia. Adult male albino rats (average weight 185 ± 0.7 g) were pretreated with the ethyl acetate extract at 0, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight for seven (7) days after which the hyperlipidemia was induced with Triton WR 1339 (200 mg/kg body weight). The serum and liver of the animals were then assayed for; total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL (high density lipoprotein) and LDL (low density lipoprotein). Histopathological investigation was carried out in the liver of all experimental animals. The result showed that pretreatment with ethyl acetate extract of V. amygdalina elicited a significant dose dependent (P<0.05) decline in Triton WR 1339 invoked increase in Total cholesterol and triglycerides concentration. Similarly, there was a significant dose dependent reduction in the levels of LDL in the pretreated group when compared to Triton WR 1339 control group. Conversely, significant (P<0.05) dose dependent increase was observed in HDL levels in the pretreated group when compared to the Triton group. It could be inferred from the results that V. amygdalina reduces the risk of diseases caused by hyperlipidemia