Bioactive Constituents of Pleurotus Squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer and Effect of Its Dietary Incorporation on Body/Organ Weights and Lipid Profile Levels of Rats Placed on High Cholesterol Diet

: Bioactive constituents of Pleurotus squarrosulus and effect of its dietary incorporation on body and organ weights; and lipid profile levels of rats placed on high cholesterol diet was investigated. Saponins, flavonoids and the variety such as chalcones, aurones, flavones, flavonol, and leukoanthocyanins; tannins alkaloids , proteins, amino acids, as well as individual amino acids such as tyrosine, phenylalanine, arginine, and cysteine were among the bioactive constituents detected in Pleurotus squarrosulus. The effect of Pleurotus squarrosulus dietary incorporation was effective against weight reduction and dyslipidemia. Rats placed on different proportions of Pleurotus squarrosulus incorporated diets had significantly (p<0.05) reduced body weight, total cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL and LDL cholesterol levels against those of the experimental control. The incorporated diets also influenced the atherogenic indices positively in the test rats when compared to those of experimental control rats. The ability of the diet incorporated with Pleurotus squarrosulus to bring about the observed effects may be attributed to the presence and properties of these bioactive constituents detected in Pleurotus squarrosulus. This study has shown the bioactive constituents of Pleurotus squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer and effect of its dietary incorporation on body/organ weights and lipid profile levels of rats placed on high cholesterol diet.