Hypolipidemic efficacy of hyphaene thebaica (doum) in experimental nephrotic syndrome

Abstract

The water extract of the fruits of Hyphaene thebaica were given orally to male albino rats for 30 days to evaluate its effect on serum cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoproteins: HDL - LDL & VLDL (high - low and very low density lipoprotein) and apolipoproteins (A-1 & B). Our findings exhibited a highly significant decrease (p < 0. 05) in all parameters except for HDL which showed insignificant decrease when compared to control group. Thus the water extract can reduce hyperlipidemia in nephrotic syndrome and leads to decrease the risk of glomerulosclerosis atherosclerosis and consequently the natural, safe and non-toxic Hyphaene thebaica fruit could be of great merit for use as hypolipidemic drug. Further, the phytochemical analysis of the potent water extract indicated the distribution of 14 polyphenolic compounds to which its activity maybe attributed. Among the isolated compounds tricin 5-Orutinoside, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside and rhamnazin 3-O-rutinoside were isolated, purified and identified from the fruit for the first time. The structure elucidation was based on 1 H and 13 C NMR.