Lipid lowering effects of Fucus vesiculosus and Phytolacca berry extracts: An alternative approach of treating hypertriglyceridemia
- 1Dhaka University
Abstract
Hypertriglyceridemia is commonly managed with lipid-lowering drugs such as statins; however, adverse effects, dose intolerance, and financial barriers may limit their use. Therefore, affordable and potentially safer plant-derived alternatives warrant investigation. This study evaluated the lipid-lowering effects of ethanol extracts of Fucus vesiculosus and Phytolacca berry, administered individually or in combination, in mice fed a butter-enriched diet for 12 weeks. Forty-eight mice were randomly assigned to six groups: normal control (Group 1), butter control (Group 2), statin control (Group 3), Fucus vesiculosus extract (Ext-1; Group 4), Phytolacca berry extract (Ext-2; Group 5), and the combined extracts (Group 6). Body weight, organ-to-body-weight ratios, serum lipid parameters, and histopathological changes were assessed. Group 3 showed the lowest final body weight, while Group 6 demonstrated a comparable body-weight trajectory. Organ-to-body-weight ratios varied among groups, with Group 3 generally showing the highest values and Group 6 comparatively lower ratios for several organs. Group 5 had the lowest total cholesterol concentration, followed by Group 3, whereas Group 6 showed cholesterol levels comparable to the normal control and statin groups. Notably, Group 6 exhibited the lowest serum triglyceride concentration (129.9 mg/dL). Histopathological examination revealed relatively mild hepatic alterations and limited vascular plaque formation in Group 6. The combined extracts demonstrated favorable effects on body-weight gain and serum lipid profiles, particularly triglycerides, with comparatively mild histopathological changes. Further mechanistic, dose-response, toxicity, and long-term studies are warranted before clinical application can be considered.
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BibTeX
@misc{hasan2026lipid,
title = {{Lipid lowering effects of Fucus vesiculosus and Phytolacca berry extracts: An alternative approach of treating hypertriglyceridemia}},
author = {N. Hasan and N. Ahsan and T. B. Ahmed and A. A. Akhand},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.18.752646},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.752646v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Lipid lowering effects of Fucus vesiculosus and Phytolacca berry extracts: An alternative approach of treating hypertriglyceridemia
AU - N. Hasan
AU - N. Ahsan
AU - T. B. Ahmed
AU - A. A. Akhand
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/18
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.18.752646
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.752646v1
AB - Hypertriglyceridemia is commonly managed with lipid-lowering drugs such as statins; however, adverse effects, dose intolerance, and financial barriers may limit their use. Therefore, affordable and potentially safer plant-derived alternatives warrant investigation. This study evaluated the lipid-lowering effects of ethanol extracts of Fucus vesiculosus and Phytolacca berry, administered individually or in combination, in mice fed a butter-enriched diet for 12 weeks. Forty-eight mice were randomly assigned to six groups: normal control (Group 1), butter control (Group 2), statin control (Group 3), Fucus vesiculosus extract (Ext-1; Group 4), Phytolacca berry extract (Ext-2; Group 5), and the combined extracts (Group 6). Body weight, organ-to-body-weight ratios, serum lipid parameters, and histopathological changes were assessed. Group 3 showed the lowest final body weight, while Group 6 demonstrated a comparable body-weight trajectory. Organ-to-body-weight ratios varied among groups, with Group 3 generally showing the highest values and Group 6 comparatively lower ratios for several organs. Group 5 had the lowest total cholesterol concentration, followed by Group 3, whereas Group 6 showed cholesterol levels comparable to the normal control and statin groups. Notably, Group 6 exhibited the lowest serum triglyceride concentration (129.9 mg/dL). Histopathological examination revealed relatively mild hepatic alterations and limited vascular plaque formation in Group 6. The combined extracts demonstrated favorable effects on body-weight gain and serum lipid profiles, particularly triglycerides, with comparatively mild histopathological changes. Further mechanistic, dose-response, toxicity, and long-term studies are warranted before clinical application can be considered.
ER -