| Abstract: | The hypolipidaemic action of picroliv, a standarized preparaton from Picrorhiza kurrooa, has been studied in normal as well as in triton- and cholesterol-fed rats. Serum lipids were found to be lowered by picroliv (25 mg/kg b.w.) in triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipaemia. Chronic feeding of this drug (6 mg/kg b.w.) in normal rats and in animals simultaneously treated with cholesterol (25 mg/kg b.w.) for 30 days caused lowering in the lipid and protein levels constituting β-lipoproteins followed by an increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol in experimental animals. Picroliv alters lipolytic activities in plasma, liver, heart an adipose tissues and stimulated receptor mediated catabolism of low density lipoprotein. The lipid lowering action of the natural product is mediated through inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis in liver, increased faecal bile acid excretion and enhanced plasma lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase activity. |
