A BIOCHEMICAL STUDY ON THE HYPOLIPIDEMIC EFFECT OF Cucurbita pepo LINN., SEED EXTRACT IN RATS FED WITH HIGH FAT DIET

Background and Aim: Diet induced obesity and hyperlipidemia are the major causes of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the hypolipidemic potential of methanolic seed extract of Cucurbita pepo Linn (MSCP) commonly known as pumpkin in rat model of diet induced obesity.

Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups of equal number (n=6). Group 1 and 2 served as control and fed normal diet (5% fat). Group 3 and 4 were fed high fat diet (23% fat) for 14 weeks. In addition, group 2 and 4 rats were administered orally 250mg/kg body weight of MSCP from 3rd week onwards. Body mass index (BMI), total fat pad mass (TFP) and adiposity index (ADI) were determined. The level of blood lipids and lipoproteins were estimated. Adiponectin level was measured in serum. Histological alterations were determined in heart, liver, subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues.

Results: Pumpkin seed extract significantly reduced BMI, TFP and ADI in rats fed high fat diet. Plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels were significantly reduced by co-administration of MSCP. In addition, serum adiponectin level was found to be significantly (P=0.016) elevated in rat administered MSCP along with high fat diet. It was also observed that MSCP administration decreased the level of LDL and increased the level of HDL. The cell size of subcutaneous and visceral adipocytes were increased with hypertrophy in group III rats and the alterations were reduced in pumpkin seed extract co-administered rats.

Conclusion: The results of the study revealed that the methanolic seed extract of pumpkin act as hypolipidemic agent probably by increasing the level of adiponectin which regulate body weight gain and adipocyte differentiation.