HYPOLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF TINCTURE OF CRATAEGUS IN RATS

Tincture Crataegus (TCR), an alcoholic extract of the berries of Crata egus oxyacantha, when administered to rats fed a hyperlipidemic diet ( HLD), could prevent the elevation in plasma lipid levels. A significan t decrease in lipid deposits in liver and aorta was also observed. Ana lysis of the plasma lipoprotein profile showed that TCR produced remar kable reduction in the increased levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids in the low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low de nsity lipoprotein (VLDL) fractions in hyperlipidemic rats. Histologica l examination showed severe fatty vacuolation and degeneration of live r of HLD fed rats. TCR administration had an ameliorating effect on th ese changes. Agarose gel electrophoretic pattern of plasma lipoprotein s also indicated that the drug brought down the raised levels of the a therogenic beta-lipoproteins in hyperlipidemic