Effect of aubergine (Solanum melongena) on serum and hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides in rats

The present work reports the effect of aubergine extract on serum and hepat ic cholesterol and triglycerides levels in adult rats. Fisher rats were div ided into three groups: the first one received a normolipidic diet and wate r, serving as a control; the other two received a hypercholesterolaemic die t with 30% vegetable oil and 1% cholesterol, one of these being given water while the other was given an aubergine extract. After 28 days the animals were sacrificed and serum and hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides levels were assessed. The obtained results indicated that under the experimental c onditions employed the aubergine extract increased serum and decreased hepa tic cholesterol and had little or no effect on both serum and hepatic trigl ycerides.