This study evaluated the antilipidemic activity of water extracts from leaves of Desmodium velutinum on albino wistar rats. The phytochemical analysis of the leaf extract showed the presence of tannins, saponins, alkaloids, soluble carbohydrates, flavonoids, reducing sugar, steroids, cyanide and terpenoids. The animals were treated with known drugs (atorvastatin 2ml). There were significantly reductions in HDL 13.00 1.41 mg/dl LDL 1.20 0.14 mg/dl and triglyceride 39.00 0.14 mg/dl, compared with water extract of Desmodium velutinum (0.5ml). when administered was found to significantly reduce lipid plasma which was LDL 1.90 0.00mg/dl, triglyceride 50.00 0.00mg/dl and increase HDL 25.00 0.00 mg/dl which is the good cholesterol. The water extract of Desmodium velutinum leaf can possibly normalize the plasma lipid when compared with the group given atorvastatin. The phytochemicals analysis showed that the association between these complexes and compounds and other constituent play an important role in the biological activity of the leaf. This study suggested that the water extract of D.velutinum leaf posses hypolipidemic as well as antilipidemic effect.

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Title Page -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- i

Certification -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ii

Dedication -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- iii

Acknowledgment -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- iv

List of Tables and Figures -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- v

Table of Contents -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- vi

Abstract -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2

1.2 Background of the Study - -- -- -- -- -- -- 2

2.1 Desmodium velutinum -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3

2.1.2 Biological and Medicinal -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 5

2.1.3 Uses of other species Desmodium velutinum -- -- -- -- 5

2.2 Plants for Antilipidemic -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 7

2.2.1 Advantage of Medicinal Plants for Antilipidemic/

Cardiovascular Diseases over Synthetic Drugs -- -- -- 10

2.3 Lipids and Lipoprotein -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 11

2.3.1 Classification of Lipoprotein -- -- -- -- -- -- 13

2.3.2 Function of lipoprotein -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 14

2.4 Lipoprotein Disorder -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 17

2.5 Antilipidemic Drug (Atorvastatin) -- -- -- -- -- 18

2.5.1 Other Antilipidemic Drugs -- -- -- -- -- -- 22

2.5.2 Other therapies -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 26

2.5.3 Health Side Effects of Atorvastatin -- -- -- -- -- 27

Materials and Methods -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 28

3.1 Materials -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 28

3.1.1 Chemicals and Reagents -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 29

3.2 Plant Material -Collection and Identification -- -- -- -- 30

3.3 Extraction -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 30

3.4 Phytochemical Analysis -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 31

3.5 Experimental Animal Model -- -- -- -- -- -- 35

3.6 Collection of Blood Samples -- -- -- -- -- -- 38

3.7 Lipid Profile Analysis -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 38

4.0 Statically Analysis -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 45

4.1 Phytochemical Results -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 45

5.1 Discussion -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 48

5.2 Conclusion -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 51