Background: Simvastatin has been widely used in controlling blood cholesterol levels and weight; however, side effects such as muscle pain, muscle damage, liver damage, and hyperglycemia may occur. Studies have shown that intake of herbal medicines may be supplemental and may even be more effective than medicines available in the market.
Aims and Objectives: The objectives of this study are to assess the effects of administration of aqueous leaf extract of Ehretia microphylla in ICR mice on blood cholesterol levels and weight.
Materials and Methods: A total of 35 ICR mice were designated into five groups which are the negative control group, positive control group, low dose, mid dose, and high dose. All groups were fed with lard-coated feeds to increase blood cholesterol level and weight. The positive control group was treated with 2.0 ml of simvastatin, while the negative control remained untreated. The treatments, namely, the low dose, mid dose, and high dose were treated with 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg of the E. microphylla extract, respectively.
Results: After 14 days of treatment, statistical analysis indicated that the E. microphylla extract had anticholesterolemic effect. There was a significant difference in the high-dose group. There was also no significant difference observed in the other groups, namely, the low dose and the mid dose. Furthermore, the positive group treated with simvastatin had a significantly lowered cholesterol level compared to the high-dose group. There are inconclusive results on the effect of E. microphylla on weight.
Conclusion: E. microphylla has anti-hypercholesterolemic effects, which may be attributed to the different phytochemicals present in it.
Key words: Cholesterol; Ehretia microphylla; ICR Mice; Tsaang gubat; Weight
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