Effect crude extract of Viscum album(mistletoe) on plasma lipids: an insight into its possible antihyperglycaemic and antihypertensive properties

Abstract

Background: Reports on the hypoglycaemic property of mistletoe leaf is abundant in the literature. In this study, we have investigated this property in relation to the lipid profile in Wistar rats.
Methods: Six groups of five rats per group were used for the study. Diabetes was induced with alloxan (60mg/kg. ip) and hypertension by high salt-loading. The treated groups received the crude extract (150mg/kg. oral) for 5 weeks in addition to normal rat feed, water ad libitum. Plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol levels were determined using standard procedures.
Results: The diabetic and the hypertensive rats had about 30.8% and 9.1% increase in blood sugar levels respectively compared to the control. The extract (150 mg/kg. oral) produced about 84.2% and 33.2% (P<0.05) decrease in blood sugar levels in the diabetics and hypertensives respectively. Also the total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol levels were increased in both diabetics and hypertensives (P < 0.05). The LDL levels were lowered by the extract by about 21.4% and 24.3% (P<0.05) in the diabetics and hypertensives respectively. Finally the extract also produced about 34.5% and 8.3% depression of blood pressure of the hypertensives and normotensives respectively.
Conclusion: We suggest the reduction of plasma lipid fractions by the extract as being responsible for the antihyperglycaemic and antihypertensive activities of the mistletoe extract.


Port Harcourt Medical Journal Vol. 1 (3) 2007: pp. 171-177