Anti-hypercholesterolemic effect of kenaf(Hibiscus cannabinus L.)seed on high-fat diet Sprague dawley rats

Objective:To determine? the anlihypercholesterolemic effects of kenaf seed samples and compare with the commercial hypocholesterolemic drug on serum lipids profiles and malondialdehyde(MDA) level in the rat.Methods:Kenaf seed oil(KSO),microencapsulated kenaf seed oil(MKSO),kenaf seed extract(KSE) and defatted kenaf seed meal(DKSM) were prepared and phytocHemicals screening on these samples were done prior in viro study.Phenolic compounds in KSF.were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography.There were 40(divided in eight diet groups of 5) male Sprague dawley rats adapted lo normal standard diet or hypercholesterolemic diet(HD) with or without the treatment of these kenaf samples for 32 days.Results:All the kenaf samples exhibited to contain most of the major phytocliemicals.KSE possessed gallic acid,tannic acid,catechin.benzaldehyde.benzoic acid,syringic acid,sinapic acid,ferulic acid,naringin acid,and protocatechuic acid.The significant higher(P<0.05) serum total cholesterol,low density lipoprotein cholesterol and MDA levels in HD group without treatment than the normal control group suggested the hypercholesterolemia was induced by the Incorporation of cholesterol into diet.KSE exhibited higher cholesterol-lowering properties due to the significant lower(P<0.05)in serum triglycerides,total cholesterol and MDA levels.KSF showed the highest efficiency of cholesterol-lowering activity,followed by KSO.MKSO and DKSM.Conclusions:DKSM.MKSO.KSO and KSE appeared lo have comparable anti-hypercholesterolemic effect with the commercial hypocholesterolemic drug.Hence,kenaf seed could be used as an alternative natural source lo replace the synthetic hypocholosterolemic drugs.