Anti-hyperlipidemic effect of crude methanolic extracts of Glycine max (soy bean) on high cholesterol diet-fed albino rats

The cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are showing increasing trend particularly in developing countries. Deranged lipid metabolism is the most common risk factor for development of CVD. Many established drugs are used for the management of dyslipidemia but have side effects; therefore there is need to evaluate medicinal plants for possible lipid lowering activity since they are less toxic. Food substance like Soy bean (Glycine max) has been reported to have useful therapeutic effects on heart disease. This study was designed to determine the effect of crude methanol seed extract of Glycine max (MEGM) on the serum lipid profiles of ad-libitum high-cholesterol-fed male albino wister rats. A total of twenty (25) male rats were used and were randomly assigned into five groups namely A, B, C, D and E of five animals in each group. All rats in groups A-D were given high cholesterol diet, HCD (2000mg/kg) once daily for two weeks. In addition, rats in group A and B received crude methanol seed extract of Glycine max once daily at a dose of 400mg/kg and 200mg/kg respectively for two weeks. Group C received atorvastatin 20mg/kg for two weeks and this served as the positive control. Group D served as negative control and received neither the extract nor drug. Group E served as normal control. The biochemical parameters of lipid profile: Total cholesterol (TC), High density lipoprotein (HDL-C), Low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), and Triglycerides (TG) were assayed. The levels of TC, LDL, TG and VLDL were highly elevated significantly in the affected group (HCD alone) when compared with normal control (p˂0.001). Administration of high dose MEGM (400mg/kg), low dose MEGM (200mg/kg) and atorvastatin (20mg/kg) separately in the presence of HCD challenge significantly lowered the elevated levels of TC (p˂0.05), LDL (p˂0.001), TG (p˂0.01) and VLDL (p˂0.01) when compared to the affected group. Furthermore and worthy of note, the levels of HDL was significantly reduced in the affected group (HCD alone) in comparison with normal control (p˂0.01); however the administration of high dose MEGM (400mg/kg) and low dose MEGM (200mg/kg) separately in the presence of HCD challenge significantly increased the reduced HDL levels (p˂0.001 and p˂0.05; respectively) when compared to the affected group. Glycine max has anti-hyperlipidemic effect on the hyperlipidemic rats and possesses cholesterol lowering property.