Journal de pharmacognosie et de produits naturels

Background:Hyperlipidemia involves abnormally elevated lipid levels. Its management using statins, fibrates, bile acid sequestrants and niacin lead to various adverse effects. Lens culinaris (Fabaceae) is a dhal with high nutritional and therapeutic value.
Objective: To evaluate antihyperlipidemic activity of Lens culinaris seeds in triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipidemic rats.
Materials and methods: Successive extracts, i.e., acetone (LCAE), methanol (LCME) and aqueous (LCWE) were prepared from Lens culinaris Medikus (Fabaceae) seeds. The extracts were evaluated for acute toxicity studies using OECD- 423 guidelines. Their antihyperlipidemic activity was assessed using Triton WR- 1339 induced hyperlipidemia model on Sprague dawley female rats. Animals were divided into 12 groups, i.e., normal, hyperlipidemic (triton), triton+atorvastatin, triton+LCAE, triton+LCME and triton+LCWE groups at a dose of 100, 200, 400 mg/Kg body weight, respectively. Total Cholesterol (TC), Tri Glyceride (TG), High (HDL), Low (LDL) and Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) levels were assessed after 1, 4, 8 and 24 h of treatment. Total Phenol (TPC), Flavonoid (TFC) and Saponin content were also determined.
Results: None of the extracts showed toxicity or mortality to animals. Intragastric administration of extracts at various dose levels to the rats caused a significant decrease in plasma lipid levels. However, LCME (400 mg/Kg) was found to possess more antihyperlipidemic activity as compared to other extracts. It exhibited a decrease (%) of 57.51, 66.93, 66.95, 111.78 in TC, TG, VLDL, LDL levels, and an increase of 59.46% in HDL levels respectively. TPC (608 mg gallic acid equivalent/g of sample) and TFC (128 mg quercetin equivalent/g of sample) were also found highest in LCAE.
Conclusion: Results suggest that the extracts of Lens culinaris contain active phytoconstituents which might be responsible for antihyperlipidemic activity of the seeds..