ANTIHYPERLIPIDEMIC PROPERTIES OF Carthamus oxyacantha

Abstract

The plants not only provide shelter, food and fuel but also cure(s) us from many diseases. Carthamus oxyacantha, locally used as a medicinal plant in the some areas of Pakistan, belongs to family Asteraceae. Antihyperlipidemic properties of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of different parts (leaves and seeds) of Carthamus oxyacantha were studied in albino rats of Sprague Dawley Strain. Rats were divided in to different groups depending upon the treatment given. Hyperlipidemic was induced by known standard method and hyperlipidemic state was confirmed on 30th day. A normal control group and hyperlipidemic control group were used in the present study. Normal control group and all the treated groups were compared with hyperlipidemic control group. The antihyperlipidemic effects were evaluated by estimating the serum and liver total cholesterol, total triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. The results showed that aqueous and alcoholic extracts of seeds of Carthamus oxyacantha possess significant antihyperlipidemic properties (p<0.01). The isolation and characterization of active reagent(s) is under investigation.