Full Length Research Paper

Effects of ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Landolphia owariensis on the serum lipid profile of rats

*Nwangwu Spencer C.¹*, Ike Francisca¹, Olley Misan², Oke James M.³, Uhunmwangho Esosa¹, Amegor, O. F.⁴ Ubaoji Kingsley⁵  and  Nwangwu Udoka⁵

¹Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Igbinedion University, P. M. B. 0006, Okada, Nigeria.

²Pathology Department, Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital, P. M. B. 0006, Okada, Nigeria.

³College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Igbinedion University, P. M. B. 0006, Okada, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Igbinedion University, P. M. B. 0006, Okada, Nigeria.

⁵Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: scon333@yahoo.com. Tel.: +2348037511008.

Accepted 20 March, 2009

   Abstract

The lipid profile of normal adult male rats administered both ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Landolphia owariensis (P. Beauv) were determined. The animals were distributed into two sets of four groups with five animals in each group. Each set had one group, which served as control while the other three groups in the two sets were administered different concentrations of the ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts. The control groups were administered normal saline and the other groups’ 100, 200 and 300 mgkg^-1 of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts respectively, twice daily for two weeks. The Total cholesterol (TC), Triacylglyceride (TAG), High Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (HDL-C), Low Density Lipoprotein- Cholesterol (LDL-C), and Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) levels were determined in both sets by colorimetric methods. The ethanolic extract showed a marked reduction of 87.45% in LDL-C level with the 100 mgkg^-1 dose, though effect of  all the three concentrations were significant but depreciated with increase in concentration. Animals administered both the extracts at all three concentrations increased in their HDL-C levels, but effect was pronounced in 100 and 200 mgkg^-1 with 15 and 150% increases respectively, in the aqueous extract group. There were dose-dependent reductions of TC levels, with the 100, 200 and 300 mgkg^-1 with reduction of 40.78, 37.59 and 34.56% respectively, in ethanolic extracts. There were 50.55 and 55.33% reduction in 100 and 200 mgkg^-1 of the aqueous extracts on TAG level. The results are indicative of the hypocholesterolaemic potentials of L. owariensis leaf extracts.

Key words: Aqueous extract, ethanolic extract, Hypocholesterolaemia, Landolphia owariensis.