Hypolipidemic Effect of Dichloromethane as well as Methanolic Fruit and Leaf Extract of Ethiopian Alligator pear (Persea americana Mill.) on Tyloxapol-Induced Hyperlipidemic Experimental Rat

Background: Alligator pear (Persea americana Mill.) or avocado has been used for a long time as a daily food in Ethiopia because of its nourishing components. In our previous work, we reported that, extracts from avocado are known to ameliorate not only hyperglycemia in diabetic rats induced by STZ. However, its hypolipidemic activity has
not yet been clearly studied. Objective: Hypolipidemic activity of the extracts from leaf by dichloromethane (PAL-I) and methanol (PAL-II), and from fruit by dichloromethane (PAF-I) and methanol (PAF-II), was studied and compared to that of simvastatin. Methods: Hyperlipidemia in rats was induced by single intra-peritoneal injection of 300 mg of tyloxapol / kg b.w.. Studied herbal extracts were orally administered at dose equivalent to 300mg of dry extract/kg b.w. immediately after tyloxapol injection. Results: Cholesterol levels decreased 59.74%, 58.01%, 44.82%, 43.09% and 61.11%, respectively in groups orally administered PAL-I, PAL-II, PAF-I, PAF-II and simvastatin, as compared to the tyloxapol injected group. Triglyceride levels in treated groups had no significant difference as compared to simvastatin group except the PAF-II treated group. Conclusion: avocado could lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in hyperlipidemic rat.