Antihyperlipedemic A ctivity of Woodfordia fruticosa E xtract in High Cholesterol Diet Fed Mice

The aim ofthe present study was to investigate the potential role of methanolic flower extract of Woodfordia fruticosa in loweringlipid parameters in mice fed a high cholesterol diet. Swiss albino mice were randomly divided into five groups of six and wereadministered either: 0.5 ml water (negative controls); 30 mg cholesterol (hypercholesterolemic animals); MEWF (methanolicextract of Woodfordia fruticosa flowers) at 400mg/kg body weight (positive control); or the same doses of both cholesterol andthe extract (test animals); Atorvastatin at 10mg/kg body weight (drug control). The effects of MEWF on the lipid profile wereassessed by measuring concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c). Administration ofcholesterol showed significant elevation (p < 0.001) of TC, LDL-c, VLDL-c, and TG concentrations, and of the TC: HDL-c ratio(p < 0.05). Administration of MEWF extract in cholesterol fed mice caused a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in theconcentrations of serum TC, LDL, VLDL TGs as well as TC: HDL-c ratio when compared with cholesterol fed control mice andresults were also comparable to that of drug control group. These results suggest lipid-lowering effects of, Woodfordia fruticosawhich serves as a new potential natural product for preventing hyperlipidemia.