Salvadora persica L.: hypolipidemic activity on experimental hypercholesterolemia in rat.

Stems of Salvadora persica are widely used as tooth cleaning sticks in Arabic countries and decoctions show hypocholesterolemic properties. The effects of prolonged administration of a lyophilized stem decoction of Salvadora persica were evaluated in diet-induced rat hypercholesterolemia. The preparation was administered for 15 and 30 days (by gavage at a dose of 500 mg/kg in an aqueous vehicle in a volume of 0.5 ml/100 g b.w.). Cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglyceride plasma levels were assayed. The results showed that the S. persica decoction significantly lowered cholesterol and LDL plasma levels in rats, proving to be more active at 30 days of treatment. The systemic administration of Triton results in a rise in plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The results obtained show that S. persica decoction was inactive at 18 hr after treatment, whereas at 27 hr, it was able to reduce cholesterol and LDL plasma levels. In all experiments HDL and triglycerides were unchanged.