In vitro Screening of alcoholic and hydroalcoholic extracts of Ayurvedic medicinal plants for the management of hyperlipidemia

Background: In Ayurveda, obesity is regarded as ‘Medoroga’, a disorder of lipid metabolism. Hyperlipidemia is one of the causes of Obesity. It is a condition when abnormally high levels of lipids (fatty substances) are found in the blood. Aim: The objective of the present study is to explore pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of plants used in Indian system of medicine i.e. Ayurveda. Method: In the present study, thirty one ‘Lekhenya’ plants were selected from the Ayurveda. Air-dried and finely powdered 31 plant material (2.0 g) were extracted with ethanol and hydro-alcohol (50:50; v/v) (3 × 10 ml) using cold percolation. The inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity of different plant extracts and orlistat (positive control) measured ‘in-vitro’ lipase activity using the spectrophotometric assay. Results : In-vitro lipase inhibition assay showed that six plants are Sterosperum servolides (Roxb.) D.C, Prunus cerasoides D. Don, Murraya koenigii L., Putranjiva roxburghii Wall., Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees, Ocimum scantum linn exhibit IC50 value less than 100 (μg/ml) lipase inhibition activity. Conclusion: The study indicates lipase inhibition potential of Ayurvedic plants, may be useful for the management of obesity which correlate with ethanopharmacological data on the use of these plants in Indian traditional medicines.