Author(s): Waribo Helen Anthony, Unyinigwung Eugene Paul and Onwuli Donatus O

Abstract: Hypercholesterolemia is a lipoprotein metabolic disorder with raisedserum concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total serum cholesterol as its characteristic disorders. These disorders are well known risk factors in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Recently, herbal therapies, including garlic extracts has been proposed as effective regimen for a number of metabolic disorders. Garlic extract has been proposed as therapy for lowering serum cholesterol level thereby contributingto improved cardiovascular health. It is proposed to be effective in the control of hypercholesterolemia due to its rich bioactive ingredients. In this study, the effect of garlic on the lipid profile of male albino rats fed with high cholesterol diet using standard methods were examined. Twenty-four male albino rats were divided into four groups with six rats each. Group 1 was fed with normal diet only, group 2 was fed with normal diet and administered 1ml of garlic juice daily for 21 days, group 3 was fed with high cholesterol diet (HCD) enriched with 30% soybean and 2% cholesterol only for 21 days and group 4 was fed with the same high cholesterol diet but administered 1ml garlic juice daily throughout the 21 days period of the experiment The administration of the garlic juice was done orally with the use of gavage tube. The rats were sacrificed under anesthesia and blood samples were collected and assayed for plasma lipid profile parameters using the spectrophotometric method. The results showed that there was significant (p<0.05) decrease in plasma concentration of total cholesterol and triglyceride and a significant (p<0.05) increase in High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol for the garlic treated groups respectively when compared with the untreated groups. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the concentration of the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol although lower in the treated groups. Results from this work suggests that the administration of garlic juice exerted antilipidemic effect in the albino rats and useful in preventing cardiovascular diseases that may occur as a result of increase in plasma lipid