STM Article Repository

Study Background: Cnidoscolous aconitifolius leaf (Chaya; Efo Iyana ipaja in Yoruba language) is a common vegetable plant served as sauce and has many traditional health benefit claims such as treatment of alcoholism, insomnia, gout, scorpion stings, memory and vision impairment owing to its phytochemical and phytonutrient constituents.

Aim and Objectives: This work was designed to determine the cholesterol lowering effect of Cnidoscolous aconitifolius in rabbits induced with hypercholesterolemia using egg yolk.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen (15) rabbits grouped into 3 major classes of 5 rabbits each has A (Control rabbits given only normal meal and water), B1 (5 rabbits give 20% egg yolk of normal meal and water for 7 days), B2 (B1 given 400 mg/kgBW of ethanolic extract of Cnidoscolous aconitifolius leaf after egg yolk containing meal), C1 5 rabbits give 20% egg yolk of normal meal and water for 7 days), C2 (C1 given 400 mg/kgBW of aqueous extract of Cnidoscolous aconitifolius leaf after egg yolk containing meal). Plasma Total cholesterol(CHOL-T), Low Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),Total Triglycerides(TG-T), High Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were evaluated in the rabbits by autoanalysis using ROCHE reagent on COBAS C111 auto Chemistry analyzer.

Results: There was a significant increase in the plasma CHOL-T, LDL-C, TG-T, and HDL-C in the rabbits given 20% of powdered egg yolk of the total meal weight and water for seven days compared with the control rabbits (p<0.05). There was also a significant decrease in the plasma value of CHOL-T, LDL-C and TG-T when the hypercholesterolemic rabbits (B1 and C1) were supplemented with 400 mg/kgBW of ethanolic and aqueous of extract Cnidoscolous aconitifolius leaf for 7 days (B2 and C2) (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Induction of hypercholesterolemia using 20% egg yolk of normal meal and water resulted into a significant increase in plasma value of CHOL-T, LDL-C, TG-T, and HDL-C while supplements of 400 mg/kgBW of ethanolic and aqueous extract of Cnidoscolous aconitifolius leaf for 7 days significantly reduced the plasma value of CHOL-T, LDL-C and TG-T in the hypercholesterolemic rabb