Ameliorative Effect of Aqueous Extract of Dried Seeds of Persea americana on Lipid Profile of Adult Wistar Rats on High Cholesterol Diet

Abstract

Persea americana is a major tropical fruit that has been known to contains phytosterol, a bioactive compound which may play a vital role in the reduction of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in humans. Hence, this study investigated the therapeutic and protective effect of aqueous extract of the seed of Persea americana on the cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein on the blood and the histological changes induced by high cholesterol diet on the heart and blood vessels of adult wistar rats. Twenty-five (25) adult wistar rats were divided into five (5) groups of five each (Group A, B, C, D, E). Group A served as negative control and received growers marsh and water only, Group B served as the positive control and received growers marsh mixed with egg yolk, Group C, and D served as treatment groups and received growers marsh mixed with egg yolk and extract of Persea americana at doses of 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg respectively. Experimental animals in Group E also received growers marsh mixed with egg yolk but the administration of the extract commenced after the fourth week. At the end of 6 weeks, the rats were sacrificed, blood was collected from each rats in the different groups into plain bottles for lipid profile. The heart and blood vessel of rats were harvested and fixed using 10% formal saline for histological study. The rats that were fed with high cholesterol without Persea americana, exhibited atherosclerosis in the intima of coronary arteries of the heart and blood vessels. Myocardiac injury was also observed though it was not severe enough to cause myocardiac infarction. Administration of Persea americana seed extract helped to ameliorate these changes that were observed in the heart and blood vessels as a result of high cholesterol diet in-take.