A MECHANISM BASED PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF EFFICACY OF ALLIUM SATIVUM IN REGULATION OF DYSLIPIDEMIA AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC RATS

Aqueous extract of Allium sativum has been studied in hyperlipidemic Charles foster rats fed on high fat diet to find out possible mechanism responsible for its lipid lowering and antioxidant behavior. Plasma and hepatic lipid levels were found to be lowered by A. sativum (200mg/kg b.w.). A. sativum activates 1ecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase, which converts cholesterol into HDL. Enhanced activities of plasma and hepatic lipoprotein lipases cause reduction in levels of LDL & VLDL. A. sativum treatment caused increased synthesis of bile acids from cholesterol, results in enhanced excretion. A. sativum significantly reduces oxidative stress and normalizes the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in liver. Lipid peroxidation in plasma has also been found significantly decreased in treated animals. Moreover, the body weight of treated animals was found to be significantly lesser (47%) than untreated animals. These findings suggest that activation of LCAT as well as enhanced synthesis & excretion of bile acids are mainly responsible for reduction of cholesterol level and elevation of high density lipoprotein level.