Effects of Capparis decidua Hydroalcoholic Extracts on Blood Glucose, Lipid Profile and Leptin of Wistar Male Rats with High Cholesterol Diets

Capparis decidua is a plant used in herbal medicine. This study was carried out to assess effects of C. decidua hydroalcoholic extract on blood glucose, lipid profile and leptin in male rats with high-cholesterol diets.

Totally, 40 Wistar-albino male rats with 200–250 g weight were equally divided into one control (C) and three experimental groups of high-cholesterol diet (HCD), high-cholesterol diet and lovastatin (HCDL) and high-cholesterol diet and C. decidua hydroalcoholic extract (HCDCD). At the end of the intervention, animals were sacrificed using deep anesthesia. Blood samples were collected and fasting blood sugar (FBS), high density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and leptin were assessed. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) was calculated using Friedewald formula. Results were expressed as mean ±SE (standard error). The P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Serum TG in HCDCD group significantly decreased, compared to C and HCD groups (71.33±3.55 (mg dl-1) instead of 97.55±7.09 (mg dl-1) and 94 ±7.01(mg dl-1) respectively, P=0.003) and TC in HCDCD group significantly decreased, compared to HCD group (67.66±2.65 (mg dl-1) instead of 83.11±5.25 (mg dl-1), P=0.021). Moreover, TC in HCDL group significantly decreased, compared to HCD group (68.33 ±1.88 (mg dl-1) instead of 83.11 ±5.25 (mg dl-1), P = 0.04). Leptin included the lowest value in HCDL group, compared to other groups (P<0.0001). Other parameters did not include significant differences within the groups.

The current findings have demonstrated that hydroalcoholic extracts from C. decidua leaves and thin stems decreased serum TG and TC in HCDCD male rats.