Cola nitida has been in use in the eastern parts of Nigeria for the management of certain ailments and as an aphrodisiac in the management of some sexual dysfunctions. However the effects of this extract in some health parameters in human objects have not been reported. This work, then, was aimed at investigating the effect of water extracts of kola pods on lipoprotein concentrations on albino wistar rats. Rats were used in this study and they were divided into several groups and fed with a high calorie food (cow’s brain) so as to increase the blood lipoprotein concentration in the rat models. The effect of the water extracts of the sample used was compared with a known drug and the results statistically compared to ascertain the effect of the water extract on the rat models. The results of this work indicate that water extracts of cola nitida pods can be used in the management of mild lipoprotein dysfunctions thus substantiating the reasons for its use in sexual erectile functions.

Title page

Approval page - - - - - - - - i

Dedication -- - - - - - - - ii

Acknowledgment - - - - - - - iii

Abstract - - - - - - - - - iv

Table of contents - - - - - - - - v

1.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - 1

2.0 Literature Review - - - - - - 2

2.1 Kola Nut Powered (Cola Nitida) - - - - 2

2.2 Kola pod components - - - - - - 3

2.3 Geography and distribution - - - - - 4

2.4 Lipoprotein - - - - - - - 5

2.5 High cholesterol diagnosis - - - - - 9

2.6 Low cholesterol - - - - - - - 9

2.7 Changes during circulation - - - - - 12

2.8 Liver - - - - - - - - 13

3.1 Identification and Extraction plant material - - 16

3.2 Phytochemical Analysis - - - - - 17

3.3 Experimental Animal model - - - - - 22

3.4 Collection of Blood samples - - - - - 24

3.5 Lipid profile Analysis - - - - - - 24

Results

Phytochemical composition of samples - - - - 31

Discussion and conclusion

5.1 Discussion -- - - - - - - 34

5.2 Conclusion -- - - - - - - 35