CHOLESTEROL LOWERING EFFECT OF GUAVA LEAVES (Psidium guajava) EXTRACT ON EGG YOLK INDUCED HYPERCHOLESTEROLAEMIC RABBITS

Background: Raw extract of Guava leaves (Psidium guajava) have been used effectively and traditionally to treat common ailments such as Diabetes mellitus (type II) diarrhoea, toothache and hypertension in South Western Nigeria. These are non-scientific health benefit claims.

Aim and Objective: This study was designed to determine cholesterol lowering effect of guava leaf (Psidium guajava) extract on egg yolk induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen rabbits were bought from OjaIkoko-a major market in Owo-Nigeria. This rabbits were grouped into 3 groups as A (Control), B (B1- induced with hypercholesterolemia; B2- induced hypercholesterolemic rabbit further treated with ethanolic extract of Guava leaves); C (C1- induced with hypercholesterolemia; C2- induced hypercholesterolemic rabbit further treated with aqueous extract of Guava leaves). Plasma Total cholesterol (CHOL-T), Low Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), Total Triglycerides (TG-T), High Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were evaluated in the rabbits by autoanalysis using ROCHE reagent on COBAS C111 autoChemistry analyzer.

Results: The results showed a significant increases in plasma lipid levels following 20% of egg yolk powder of the total meal weight in the rabbit groups B, and C induced hypercholesterolemia compared with the control rabbits (Group A), with p<0.05). There were also a significant decreases in the plasma CHOL-T and TG-T levels in induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits group B2 and C2 treated with ethanolic and aqueous extracts of guava leaves compared to group B1 and C1, respectively, (p<0.05). In addition, ethanolic extract of guava leaves showed a reduction of LDL-C level, B2, compared to B1, (p<0.05) while aqueous extract of guava leaves did not. Interestingly it was found that both extracts did not decrease in HDL levels.

Conclusion: Twenty percent of egg yolk powder of the total normal rabbit meal has been found to effectively induce hypercholesterolemia. Both aqueous and ethanolic extract of guava leaf extracts have also been found to significantly reduce lipids in hypercholesterolemic rabbits but importantly not reduce good cholesterol, HDL, level.