RAVI KUMAR, P(MAJOR)VENKATESWARLU, UPADMAJA, KBALA SUNDER REDDY, D2018-08-232018-08-232005-12http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810067182THESESABSTRACT: Recognition of hypercholesterolemia as a risk factor for atherosclerosis forced the development of drugs that reduce the cholesterol levels in the serum. Plant kingdom is a rich natural source for many therapeutic molecules. Terminalia arjuna bark is reported to posses hypolipidenric activity. However no such reports are available on the leaves and hence the leaves were screened for their hypolipidemic potential in two rat models viz. triton induced and diet induced hyperlipidemic rats. Methanolic leaf extract was used @, 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg b.wt and for comparison bark extract was used @ 125 mgkg b.wt. In triton induced model hypolipidemic effect was evaluated by monitoring the serum levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides. In diet induced model hypolipidemic effect was evaluated by monitoring the serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and phospholipids on day 15 and day 30. The same parameters were also estimated in liver tissues at necropsy on day 30. Cholic acid and desoxycholic acid in feces were estimated at the end of the study on day 30. Results indicated that leaf extract exhibited hypolipidemic activity on day 30 at dose levels 250 and 500 mg/kg b.wt. However bark extract exhibited the hypolipidemic effect on day 15 and day 30 at the tested dose of 125 mg/kg b.wt. Thus it was evident that though leaves posses hypolipidemic activity, this activity is less potent and less efficacious compared to the activity present in the bark.ennullThesis