POTENTIAL OF ASCIDIA SYDNEIENSIS AGAINST TRITON INDUCED HYPERLIPIDEMIA

*Chandran Stella Packiam, Robert Jothibai Margret and Vaidyanathapuram Kesavan Meenakshi

ABSTRACT

Hyperlipidemia is a disorder of lipid metabolism manifested by elevation of plasma concentrations of various lipid and lipoprotein fractions. It has been ranked as one of the greatest risk factors contributing to the prevalence and severity of coronary heart diseases. Hyperlipidemia is identified as dyslipidemia and it can also be described as elevated total cholesterol (TC) or triglycerides (TG), or low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). People with high cholesterol have about twice the risk of coronary heart disease. Several risk factors of hyperlipidemia have been reported - age, sex, obesity, wrong diet, blood pressure, blood sugar, stress, smoking and environment. The present study was designed to explore the potential of the ethanol extract of Ascidia sydneiensis against Triton X-100 induced hyperlipidemic rats. Body weight, serum biochemical parameters - protein, albumin, globulin, SGPT, SGOT, ALP, serum lipid profile - Total cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein - cholesterol (HDL-C), very low density lipoprotein - cholesterol (VLDL-C), low density lipoprotein - cholesterol (LDL-C) and phospo lipids were analysed following standard procedures. Histopathological examinations of liver sections were also done. Administration of the extract at a dose of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg b.w was compared with Triton induced hyperlipidemic control and standard drug Atorvastatin (100 mg/kg b.w). A significant decrease in body weight, serum enzyes - SGPT, SGOT, ALP, plasma lipid profile - TC, TG, VLDL-C, LDL-C, PL, faecal lipid profile - TL, TC, TG and an elevation in serum biochemical parameters - protein, albumin, globulin and plasma lipid profile - HDL-C were noted in the extract treated groups when compared to hyperlipidemic control. In the group treated with the highest dose of the extract all the biochemical parameters were brought back to normal level. The effective suppression Triton induced hyperlipidemia in rats on treatment with the extract suggests the potential protective role in coronary heart disease.

Keywords: Ascidia sydneiensis, Triton X-100, atorvastatin, hyperlipidemia, plasma lipid profile.