Hypolipidemic activity of Semecarpus anacardium in Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

Alterations in lipid metabolism and lipoprotein disturbances have played an important role in increasing the risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetes. A drug that has hypoglycemic activity can be used for the treatment of hyperlipidemia also. The present study was carried out to evaluate the hypolipidemic activity of Semecarpus anacardium. Male Wister rats weighing 250-270 g were injected with Streptozotocin at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight and administered with S. anacardium (300 mg/kg body weight) and Metformin (500 mg/kg body weight) for 21 days. Control and drug control groups were also included in the study. After the experimental duration, serum was collected, liver and kidney were excised and used for the analysis of lipid and lipid metabolizing enzymes. The results of the study revealed that S. anacardium administration was able to decrease the levels of LDL, cholesterol, VLDL, TG, phospholipid and free fatty acid and increase the HDL levels and favorably modulate the lipid metabolizing enzymes in the liver and kidney. These results show that S. anacardium exerts hypolipidemic activity in diabetic rats.