Background: Hyperlipidaemia is among the most prevalent metabolic disorders globally and a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Synthetic antihyperlipidemic drugs, while efficacious, carry significant adverse effects including myopathy, hepatotoxicity, and high cost, driving the search for safer phytopharmaceutical alternatives. Objectives: This study evaluated the antihyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant activities of a hydroalcoholic polyherbal extract (PHE) combining Aporosa bourdillonii Stapf (Phyllanthaceae) and Cadia purpurea (G.Piccioli) Aiton (Fabaceae) in a high fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidaemic Wistar albino rat model. Methods: PHE was prepared by Soxhlet extraction (70% ethanol) and administered orally at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight for 28 days alongside HFD, with atorvastatin (10 mg/kg) as reference. Parameters assessed included serum lipid profile, atherogenic indices (AIP, CRI-I, CRI-II), liver function markers (ALT, AST, ALP), hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), and histopathological evaluation. Results: PHE at 400 mg/kg significantly reduced serum total cholesterol (−36.4%), triglycerides (−34.1%), LDL-cholesterol (−38.2%), VLDL-cholesterol (−34.2%), and atherogenic index of plasma (−32.2%), while elevating HDL-cholesterol (+28.2%) (p<0.001 vs. HFD control). Hepatic antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx) were markedly restored and MDA was reduced (−39.5%), surpassing atorvastatin in antioxidant restoration. Liver function markers were significantly normalised. Histopathological examination confirmed attenuation of hepatic steatosis, inflammatory infiltration, and hepatocyte ballooning. Conclusion: The polyherbal extract of A. bourdillonii and C. purpurea demonstrates significant, dose-dependent antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective activities in HFD-induced rats, supporting its potential as a multi-target phytopharmaceutical for hyperlipidaemia management.
Gupta et al. (Wed,) studied this question.