Effect of 'Zobo' (the Aqueous Extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa L petal) on Ethanol-Induced Changes in Plasma Glucose and TAG: HDL- Cholesterol Ratio inWistar Rats.

摘要

The protective effect of "Zobo" {Hibiscus sabdariffa L. petal extract) against ethanol-induced biochemical changes in rats was examined using plasma glucose, TAG and HDL- Cholesterol. Twenty-four adult rats with an average weight of 80g were used andequally divided into the normal distilled water, "Zobo"(HSE) extract, ethanol alone and ethanol plus "Zobo" groups. The ethanol-treated groups received 1.5g (40%) ethanol/kg body weight as single daily dose, while the "Zobo" groups received 500mgkg"' (0.5g/kg) body weight of concentrate 150mg/ml. Both administrations were by intubation and for duration of 4weeks. Relative to the control, plasma TAG for the group that received ethanol alone had a higher value and this was statistically significant (PO.05). Plasma glucose was not statistically significant but showed a reduced value for the ethanol group alone when compared with other groups. Report from this research also demonstrated that HDL-Cholesterol for the "Zobo" groups had a higher mean value than the control and ethanol group and was statistically significant (P<0.05). On estimation of plasma TAG: HDL- Cholesterol ratio, reduced values was observed in the "Zobo" groups when compared to the ethanol group revealing a form of hypolipidaemic property of the extract as indicated by other research work. From Fig 1., the ethanol group had the highest TAG: HDL-Cholesterol ratio of 58%, a possible aetiologic risk factor of hypertension and atherosclerosis. From this finding, it was indicative that Hibiscus sabdariffa extract showed increased HDL-Cholesterol level as well as reduced TAG: HDL-cholesterol ratio, a behavior that has a hypolipidaemic property and cardioprotective effect.