The Effects of Peperomia pellucida (L.) HBK methanolic extract on total blood cholesterol levels and liver histology of induced hypercholesterolemic rats

Abstract

Peperomia pellucida, an annual native herb found in the Philippines, has many ethnomedicinal uses including lowering cholesterol levels. In the present study, the antihypercholesterolemic effects of Peperomia pellucida crude extract (PPCE) were studied using hypercholesterolemic induced Sprague Dawley rats. Changes in the total cholesterol levels (TC) and liver histological changes were evaluated in treated (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) and non-treated group. PPCE at all doses significantly reduced the levels of TC as compared to group fed with high cholesterol diet (HCD) only. The mean total cholesterol levels of the groups fed with HCD treated with 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg P. pellucida extract (Group III, IV, V) showed significant difference from 217 mg/dl to 168.4 mg/dl; 204 mg/dl to 151.6 mg/dl; and 199.6 mg/dl to 159.6 mg/dl, respectively. The histological sections of the group fed with HCD (Group II) showed severe damage as evidenced by severe steatosis, inflammation and sinusoid congestion. PPCE treated groups showed significantly improved histological alterations as compared to the group fed with HCD diet (Group II). In conclusion, these results suggest that PPCE improved the total cholesterol levels and liver histological features of diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats.