The Ameliorating Effect of Chloroform and Aqueous Ethanol Extracts from Pleurotus tuber reguim (Fr.) Sing. (Pleurotaceae) sclerotia on Triton-X Induced Hyperlipidemia in Wistar Rats

This report validates the anti-hyperlipidemic property of Pleurotus tuber reguim an edible mushroom widely used for weight loss among other ailments, using Triton X-100 induced hyperlipidemic rats. The lipophilic chloroform (CHE) and hydrophilic 70 % aqueous ethanol (AQE) extracts were obtained by successive cold maceration in increasing order of solvent polarity. Anti-hyperlipidemic activities of the extracts at 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight, was evaluated using Triton X-100 induced hyperlipidemic rats. Artovastatin was used as the standard drug. Compared to the hyperlipidemic untreated control group, there was a significant (p<0.05) dose dependent reduction in the plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and increase in the high density lipoprotein (HDL) after 7 days treatment with the extracts. The trend in the ameliorative activities of the extracts and atovastatin were in the following rank order: atovastatin (43.5%)>CHE-200mg/kgbw (41.4%)>CHE100mg/kgbw(38.4%>AQE-200 mg/kgbw (35.9%)>AQE-100 mg/kgbw (27.6%) for TC; atovastatin (73.5%)>CHE200mg/kgbw (68.0%)>CHE-100mg/kgbw(64.5%>AQE-200 mg/kgbw (62.3%)>AQE-100 mg/kgbw (62.2%) for TG; CHE-200mg/kgbw (114.4 %)> AQE-200mg/kgbw(87.3%) >atovastatin (68.7%)>CHE-100mg/kgbw (38.5%)>AQE100mg/kgbw(8.8%) for HDL; atovastatin (73.5%)>CHE-200mg/kgbw (68.0%)>CHE-100mg/kgbw(64.5%>AQE-200 mg/kgbw (62.3%)>AQE-100 mg/kgbw (62.2%) for VLDL; and CHE-200mg/kgbw (78.5%) > atovastatin (66.8%)>AQE-200mg/kgbw (63.5%)>AQE-100mg/kgbw(26.8%) for LDL. Triterpenoids (phytosteroids), fatty acids, and cardenolides are present in the CHE while, amino acids, saponins and carbohydrate were present in the AQE as metabolites with alkaloids and anthraquinones were absent. P tuber reguim possesses anti-hyperlipidemic effects which could be due to the phyto-constituents present thus justifying its traditional use for weight loss.