Abstract:
The effect of Antidesma bunius leaf extract supplementation on the serum lipid profile in normal and high-fat diet rats was studied to elucidate the potential antioxidant properties of bignay. The blood samples from the test rats were subjected to quantitative-enzymatic-colorimetric determination of lipids. Results showed that the A. bunius leaf extract has decreased the total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride levels in rats given the high-fat diet. When compared to the rats given a high-fat diet alone, rats given the high-fat diet with A. bunius supplementation expressed a lower percent difference of LDL-C and triglyceride levels (24.61% and 9.92%, respectively) than rats given a normal diet with A. bunius supplementation with percent difference of 31.05% and 31.78%, respectively. The A. bunius extract is effective in lowering the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides whether the subject is on a normal or high fat diet. Interaction between rat diet and A. bunius supplementation showed a more direct antioxidant action on total cholesterol and LDL-C levels than the triglyceride levels. However, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels remained unchanged. The implications of these results show that the effects of hypercholesterolemia could be lessened or completely prevented with the supplementation of dietary derived plant antioxidants.
