Original Articles
Joseph Mari B. Querequincia*1,
Abstract
Artocarpus ovatus Blanco is a plant species of the Philippines belonging to the family Moraceae. This study evaluated the cholesterol-lowering activity of the A. ovatus ethanolic leaf extract in Sprague Dawley rats and its acute oral toxicity. It was found to be safe and non-toxic up to 2000 mg/kg BW of test animals based on the guidelines of OECD 425 main test. Post toxicity test gross necropsy results are unremarkable. In the cholesterollowering bioassay, the ethanolic extract treated rats at doses of 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg showed time dependent reduction of serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoproteins with p-values less than 0.05. High density lipoproteins concentration improved, high catalase enzyme levels and unremarkable degree of lipid peroxidation were measured and observed after 14 days of oral administration of the extract.