Anti-Hypercholesterolemic and Hepatoprotective Effect of Aqueous Seed Extract of Carica Papaya in Rats Fed with Thermoxidized Palm Oil Diet  

^1-4 Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Nigeria.

⁵ Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Benin.

^*Corresponding Author

EBO, Obehi Emmanuella

Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences

University of Benin, Benin City

Nigeria

Tel:07035522957

Email: emmanuella.okojie@uniben.edu

Abstract

The use of plants by man for the treatment of diseases has long been in practice. This study sought to investigate whether or not the aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya will ameliorate the injurious effect of thermoxidized palm oil. Fifty (50) rats, consisting of males and females were divided into five groups. The rats in group 1 served as the control, they were fed with rat chow and water ad libitum. Group 2 rats were fed with fresh palm oil diet (FPO). Group 3 rats were fed with thermoxized palm oil (TPO). Group 4 rats were fed with fresh palm oil diet and 500mg/kg body weight aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya. Group 5 rats were fed with thermoxidized diet and aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya. Each of the palm oil diet contained 15 %(w/w) thermoxidized or fresh palm oil. At the end of 28 days administration, blood samples were collected for the analysis of lipid profile and some liver function enzymes. The results showed that HDL was significantly (P<0.05) increased in all the test samples except TPO, while LDL followed a reverse trend. Total cholesterol concentration showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in all the test groups with the exception of the TPO group, which decreased significantly (P<0.05) when compared with the control.  The Serum Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Aspartate Amino Transferase (AST) and Alanine Amino Transferase (ALT) were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in all the test samples except TPO which was significantly (P<0.05) increased. Serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) showed decrease in all the test samples except TPO which was significantly (P<0.05) slightly increased. The results indicate that consumption of thermally oxidized palm oil diets had deleterious effects on biochemical indices in rats. Also, the seed extract of Carica papaya has anti-hypercholesterolemic effect. The serum enzyme levels also show that the liver tissue integrity was stabilized by the addition of Carica papaya seed extract to thermoxidized palm oil diet hence its hepatoprotective activity.

Keywords:Anti-hypercholesterolemic, Hepatoprotective, Carica papaya, Thermoxidized palm oil

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