The effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Origanum vulgare on weight and serum lipid profile in male Wistar rats

Abstract

Introduction: Today, hyperlipidemia, followed by atherosclerosis, leads to cardiovascular diseases and even death in most countries. Antioxidants can reduce blood cholesterol and risks of cardiovascular diseases. Given that Origanum vulgar is full of antioxidants, we aimed to study the effects of Origanum vulgare extract (OVE) on serum lipid profile and weight. Methods and Materials: In this study, 28 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=7). The control group received distilled water, three experimental groups received the hydroalcoholic OVE at different doses of 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. Pretreatment with OVE was performed for 30 days orally through gavage. Two hours after the last gavage, the rats were weighed, then blood samples were collected to measure serum levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL). The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA in SPSS. Results: The results of the current study showed that OVE reduced the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein and increased the level of high density lipoprotein in the three groups receiving OVE (50, 75 and 100 mg/kg) compared to the control group. OVE did not cause changes in rats’ weight. Conclusion: It appears that OVE can exert a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases by reducing the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and increasing high density lipoprotein.