Objective: To investigate whether hydro-alcoholic extract of aerial parts of Caralluma fimbriata (CFE) could attenuate high-fat diet (HFD) induced cardiac damage.
Methods: Forty rats were divided into five groups: control (C), treated with CFE, treated with HFD, HFD treated with CFE, and HFD treated with metformin (Met).
Results: CFE treatment significantly (p < .001) attenuated HFD-induced increase in cardiac lipids such as total lipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and free fatty acids and decreased phospholipids accompanied by increasing in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. Furthermore, significant reduction in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, creatine kinase and aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase was also observed in HFD fed rats. These changes were alleviated by CFE. Moreover, the histopathological observations of heart are also in agreement with the biochemical findings.
Conclusion: The present study confirmed that CFE could be used as adjuvant therapy for preventing or managing high fat diet induced cardiac damage.
Keywords: Antioxidant potential; HFD; hyperlipidaemia; polyol pathway enzymes.