Effects of Lime Juice and Honey on Lipid Profile of Cholesterol Enriched Diet Fed Rat Model
A. Idoko *
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Caritas University, Amorji – Nike, P.M.B. 01784, Enugu, Nigeria.
V. P. O. Ikpe
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Caritas University, Amorji – Nike, P.M.B. 01784, Enugu, Nigeria.
N. O. Nelson
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Caritas University, Amorji – Nike, P.M.B. 01784, Enugu, Nigeria.
J. U. Effiong
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Caritas University, Amorji – Nike, P.M.B. 01784, Enugu, Nigeria.
A. J. Alhassan
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Bayero University, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria.
I. U. Muhammad
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Bayero University, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria.
N. Abubakar
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Federal University Dutse, P.M.B. 7156, Jigawa State, Nigeria.
S. M. Abubakar
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Bayero University, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To investigate the effects of lime juice and honey on lipid profile in albino wistar rats fed varying concentrations of cholesterol enriched diet.
Study Design: The study was designed in two phases; phase I and phase II.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences Caritas University, Enugu Nigeria, between May to September 2017.
Methodology: Twenty adult female rats were grouped into four groups of six rats each of test groups and two rats of Control group. In phase I, group I served as normal control (not fed with cholesterol enriched diet), groups II, III and IV were fed cholesterol enriched diet for one week. In phase II, GII – GIV rats were divided into 3 sub groups of 2 rats each and administered various dosage of lime juice alone, honey alone and mixture of lime and honey based on body weight.
Results: In phase I, a significant (p<0.05) increase was observed in control group compared to test group especially for TAG and TC in a pattern of higher enriched diet dependency, down the group while for LDL and HDL, the pattern was altered in GII. In phase II, administration of lime alone result in significant decrease (p<0.05) of LDL, TAG and TC and a significant increase (p<0.05) in HDL compared to phase I. Administration of honey alone lead to a significant decrease (p<0.05) in LDL and a corresponding increase (p<0.05) in HDL, TC and TAG compared to phase I. administration of mixture of honey and lime juice result in significant increase (p<0.05) in HDL in GII and decrease (p<0.05) in LDL, TC and TAG compared to phase I.
Conclusion: The observed potential of lime juice and honey in reducing LDL and raising HDL (anti- inflammatory effect) could be due to the presence of antioxidants and beneficial phytochemical.
Keywords: Lime juice, honey, enriched diet, hypercholesterolemia, antioxidant