Cholesterol lowering potentials of a blend of standardized methanol extracts of moringa oleifera leaves and fruits in albino wistar rats

Abstract

Objective: Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae), a small rapid growing, evergreen, deciduous tree is an important medicinal plant. Leaves and fruits of this plant are used for various ailments, as a nutritional supplement and also as vegetables. The current study involves in the determination of best combination of the cholesterol-lowering potential of a blend of methanol extracts of M. oleifera leaf and fruits, developed based on in vitro FIC index studies and evaluate the combination of this extracts in hypercholesterolemic animal models. Methods: Leaf and fruit methanol extracts and their combinations were tested in in vitro lipase inhibition assay to determine the best combination using fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index. Hypercholesterolemia was induced with Triton WR-1339 (a non-ionic detergent) and with high cholesterol diet for acute and chronic model respectively and the cholesterol-lowering effect of 1:1 blend of M. oleifera leaf and fruits methanol extracts was evaluated. Results: The FIC index values indicated that M. oleifera leaf and fruit extracts blended in 1:1 proportion was the best combination in in vitro lipase inhibition assay. This blend, when evaluated in vivo, showed a significant decrease in serum total cholesterol level from 24 h through 48 h in triton model. In high cholesterol diet model, the extract blend showed a significant reduction in serum triglycerides levels at 3 and 6 w of treatment. Conclusion: The results indicate that the blend of M. oleifera at the tested dose could be lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels by inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol and can be developed as a standardized blend for dietary supplement market.