Hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects of cucumber (Cucumis Sativus L.)-Supplemented diet in both sexes of sprague-dawley rats

Abstract

Background: In Africa traditional medicine, certain plant leaves and fruits are employed in the treatment of metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and liver disorders. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is named among Nigerian plants that are under investigation for its medicinal activities. The present study investigates the hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective potentials of C. sativus-supplemented diet in both sexes of Sprague-Dawley rats. Materials and Methods: Twelve male and twelve female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study and were grouped into four equal rats – Group A: control male (CM) fed with normal rat chow, Group B: control female (CF) fed with normal rat chow, Group C: cucumber-supplemented male (CSM) fed with cucumber-supplemented diet, and Group D: cucumber-supplemented female (CSF) fed with cucumber-supplemented diet for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, body weight change, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), hepatic lipase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine amino transferase (ALT) were determined. Hepatic and myocytic glycogen, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malonaldehyde (MDA) were also assessed. Results: The result displayed a nonsignificant decrease (P > 0.05) in weight change in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF. TG and LDL downregulated significantly (P > 0.05) in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF while HDL significantly upregulated (P < 0.05) in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in SOD and CAT activities in CSM and CSF with a concomitant reduction in GSH activity and MDA level compared with CM and CF. ALP, AST, and ALT levels downregulated significantly (P < 0.05) in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF. Despite a significant increase (P < 0.05) in skeletal glycogen, hepatic glycogen downregulated in CSM and CSF compared with CM and CF. Conclusion: It is evidenced that C. sativus-supplemented diet possessed hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects in both sexes of Sprague-Dawley rats, though the effects were more marked in female rats compared with their male counterparts.