TOXICOLOGICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF A MULTIHERBAL PHYTOPHARMACEUTICAL ON TRITON X-1339- INDUCED HYPERLIPIDEMIA

Abstract

Hyperlipidemia is one of the core risk factors responsible for the initiation and progression of arteriosclerosis and a major contributor to other adverse health conditions. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia has increased drastically within the last few decades. This study was designed to investigate the toxicological and pharmacological effects of a multiherbal tea (MHT) on Triton X-1339-induced hyperlipidemia. An infusion of the multiherbal tea (MHT) was prepared using distilled water. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening as well as in vitro antioxidant assays were carried out on MHT. For in vivo experiment, male Wistar rats were intoxicated with 200 mg/kg Triton and post-treated with 1 ml/kg, 3 ml/kg or 5 ml/kg of MHT, daily, for 14 days followed by biochemical estimations in serum and tissues (heart, liver and kidney) of animals as well as histopathological evaluation of the liver. The results of the phytochemical assessment on MHT revealed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and phenols. Total phenols, total flavonoids, total tannins and total antioxidant activity were 183.70 ± 1.70 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract, 1466.67 ± 88.19 mg quercetin equivalent/g extract, 6.04 ± 0.36 mg catechin equivalent/g extract and 110.0 + 0.00 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g extract, respectively. The proximate and mineral analyses revealed that compositions of moisture, ash, carbohydrate, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and manganese in MHT. The result of the in vivo study showed that MHT significantly ameliorated the alterations in serum lipid profiles occasioned by Triton intoxication as adjudged by its effects on total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, as well as glucose level. There was significant (p<0.0001) correction of alterations in liver (total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alanine transferase and aspartate aminotransferase), kidney (creatinine, urea and uric acid) and heart (creatinine kinase, coronary risk index and atherogenic index) function markers in the serum following post treatment with MHT. Alterations in the hematological parameters were also significantly (p<0.0001) corrected by MHT. Moreover, results of the in vivo antioxidant assays revealed that MHT significantly (p<0.0001) reversed the redox imbalance caused by Triton intoxication on the various organs as adjudged by its effects on malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione concentrations as well as glutathione transferase, superoxide dismutase and lactate dehydrogenase activities. These results were consistent with the histopathological findings which showed amelioration of histoarchitectural abnormalities in the MHT treated group towards the control state. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the hypolipidemic and protective effects of MHT against Triton-induced hyperlipidemia, oxidative damage and atherogenic tendency in rats thereby lending credence to the tea as a potential therapeutic agent in the management of hyperlipidemia and related dysfunctions.