Preliminary Investigation of the Subchronic Hypolipidemic Actions of Hibiscus sabdariffa in Rats

Hibiscus sabdariffa is a popular medicinal plant that is claimed to have hypotensive and hypocholesterolemic actions in animals. The present preliminary study was conducted to assess the subchronic hypolipidemic actions of H. sabdariffa calyx in normal rats when administered as an aqueous extract. Twenty (20) Wistar albino rats were used for this study and were assigned into 4 groups. Group 1 rats were normal control and received distilled water (10 ml/kg) while Groups 2-4 rats received 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively. All treatments were through the oral route for 21 days. On the 21st day, blood samples for Lipid panel analyses were collected. The results disclosed statistically significant (p < 0.05), dose-dependent decreases in Low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and triacylglycerol (TAG) levels in all doses of the extract-treated groups (Groups 2-4) when compared to that of the normal control rats. No statistically significant change (p > 0.05) was observed in the total cholesterol level of groups 2, 3 & 4 given 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg of the extract, respectively compared to the normal control (Group 1). However, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels of the extract-treated group when compared to that of the normal control rats. It was concluded that aqueous extract of H. sabdariffa, administered subchronically, exhibited beneficial hypolipidemic effects in healthy rats and warrants further laboratory and clinical investigations to define its potential benefits and risk for the treatment of lipid disorders.