Effect of Aqueous Seed Extract of Carica Papaya on Lipid Profile and Anti‐Atherogenic Index of Wistar Rat Following Cholesterol Administration
Authors: Inneh Churchill , Uhonmoibhi samuel , Oghenakhogie Momodu 
Published: June 2021

Background

Hypercholesterolemia is a major component in the formation of atherogenic plaques which is the predominant risk factor implicated in the development of cardiovascular diseases (Rerkasem et al., 2008). The focus of our research lab is to investigate natural‐herbal preparations with anti‐atherogenic potential. Available scientific investigation(s) had reported the use different parts of Carica Papaya plant in the treatment of different ailments including cardiovascular diseases (Sudhakar and Vidhya, 2014). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aqueous seed extract of Carica Papaya on lipid profile and anti‐atherogenic index of Wistar rats exposed to high cholesterol.

Method

Carica papaya fruit were harvested from the University of Benin farm project. The seeds were extracted from the fruit and dried for eight (8) weeks at room temperature. The seeds were milled to powdered form and extracted using Soxlet extractor. Thirty five (35) Adult Wistar rats weighing between 150–200g were used for this study. The animals were kept in the animal holdings of the Department of Anatomy, University of Benin and were allowed to acclimatize for two weeks. All experiments were conducted in accordance with the National Institute of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The animals were assigned into seven groups with five (5) animals in each group. Animals in group A served as control; group B1 animals were administered with 100 mg/kg body weight of cholesterol dust for two weeks; group B2 animals were administered with 100 mg/kg body weight of cholesterol dust for four weeks; group C1 animals were administered with 400mg/kg body weight of aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya for two weeks; group C2 were administered with 400mg/kg body weight of aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya for four weeks; group D1 and D2 animals were co‐administered with 100 mg/kg body weight of cholesterol dust and 400mg/kg body weight of aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya for two weeks and four weeks respectively. Cholesterol dust was purchased from Sigma Aldrich Chemical Co. (St. Louis, MO, USA).

Results

Administration of Carica Papaya seed extract to rats exposed to high cholesterol significantly (P<0.001) reduced serum concentration of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL) while there was a significant increase (P< 0.01) in high density lipoproteins (HDL). Anti‐atherogenic index (AAI) of both normal and cholesterol administered rats treated with the extract was significantly (P<0.001) higher compared with the untreated cholesterol administered rats.

Conclusion

The present study has shown that Carica Papaya seed extract possesses anti‐hyperlipidemic as well as anti‐atherogenic activities.

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.