Cassia auriculata flower extract attenuates hyperlipidemia in male Wistar rats by regulating the hepatic cholesterol metabolism.

Hyperlipidemia in the male albino Wistar rats was induced by Triton WR - 1339. The treatment of the hyperlipidemic animals with the ethanol extract of Cassia auriculata flower (Et-CAF) exhibited a dose dependent reduction in serum triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) similar to the hyperlipidemic animals treated with standard drug atorvastatin. Hyperlipidemia altered the protein and mRNA expression levels of the key genes (SREBP-1c, ACC1, SREBP-2, HMGR, HMGS, CYP7A1, and ABCA1) in lipid metabolism and the treatment with Et-CAF (300mg/kg b. wt) reverted these levels similar to that observed with atorvastatin treated hyperlipidemic animals. These results revealed that Et-CAF extract served as an efficient anti-hyperlipidemic drug.