Lipid Lowering Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Aerial Partsof Peucedanum pastinacifolium Boiss. and Hausskn.in Hypercholesterolemic Rats

Increased plasma cholesterol is known to be a major risk related to the development of coronary artery disease. The main purpose of this study was to determine possible effects of the ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Peucedanum pastinacifolium on the serum lipids in hypercholesterolemic rats. Experimental hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding rats a cholesterol-enriched diet for 56 days. Hypercholesterolemic rats were classified into five groups. One group did not receive treatments and served as a control hypercholesterolemic group. The other four groups were fed the cholesterol-enriched diet in conjunction with 125, 250, 500 mg extract per kg of the body weight along with 20 mg atrovaststin per kg body weight, in a daily oral dose. A normal group of rats fed with a plain chow diet was also included in the study. After oral administration for 8 weeks, P. pastinacifolium extract produced significant decrease on serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride levels and atherogenic indices in hypercholesterolemic groups (P < 0.05). P. pastinacifolium extract had no effects on serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in these groups. It is concluded that the extract of aerial parts of P. pastinacifolium exhibits lipid lowering activity in hypercholesterolemic rats. However, further investigation would be necessary to evaluate the mechanism of action of the extract.