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Pteridium aquilinum and Caesalpinia bonducella are plants commonly used in the management of various ailments in Nigerian folk medicine. Each of them have been found to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help in maintaining cardiovascular health. In the present study, the effect of the herbal mixture on the lipid profile of albino rats was investigated. A total of twenty albino rats were used in the study. These rats were randomly distributed into 5 groups of 4 rats per group. The rats were allowed to acclimatize for ten days prior to treatment. Rats in group 1 (control) were kept on water and feed. While rats in groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were treated with 200, 400, 600 and 800mg/kg bwt. of the di-herbal mixture respectively. The treatments lasted for 21 days. Twenty four hours after treatment, the rats were sacrificed. Blood samples collected and prepared for lipid profile. The following parameters: total cholesterol (TC), High-density Lipoprotein (HDL), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides (TG) were evaluated by standard methods. Results showed that the di-herbal mixture exhibited a dose-dependent reduction in Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and Triglyceride. For instance, the control rats had a total cholesterol value of 91.28± 3.54mg/dl. When the herbal mixture was introduced at the dose of 200mgkg bwt, cholesterol value reduced to 90.28±3.77mg/dl. Dose-dependent increments in HDL Cholesterol levels were however, recorded. For instance, the control rats had a HDL Cholesterol value of 32.28 ± 1.81mg/dl. When the herbal sample was given at the initial dose of 200mg/kg bwt, HDL Cholesterol level increased to 34.21 ± 1.72mg/dl. When the extract dose was further increased to 400mg/kg bwt. HDL Cholesterol level was found to be 34.61± 2.10mg/dl. The conclusion was thus drawn that the sample has the potency of maintaining healthy levels of the cardiac function parameters investigated.
Onwusonye et al. (Sat,) studied this question.