Effect of dietary Withenia somnifera and Commiphora weightii on induced hyperlipidemic wistar rats

This study evaluates the whole plant ethanolic extract of two plants’ i.e., Withania somnifera Dunal (Ashwagandha) and Commiphora wightii (Arnott.) Bhandari (Guggul) for their hypolipidemic effects in high fat diet induced hyperlipidemic Wistar rats. After determining lethal dose (LD50), two defined doses of the two extracts i.e., 250 mg and 500 mg of extract per kg rat body weight, serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride as well as plasma creatinine, urea, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and alanine transaminase were evaluated. The main finding of the study demonstrated that both the extract perform effectiveness compared to atorvastatin in a dose dependent manner in prevention of hyperlipidemic condition and could promote a better health conditions. When comparing therapies for hyperlipidemia, the higher dose of W. somnifera and C. wightii plant extracts have shown improvements in body weight, lipid profile, glucose lev¬els, liver and kidney function.