Lipid-Lowering and Antioxidant Functions of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) Extract in Human Dyslipidemia

• Published in: Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 112 - 118
• Main Authors: Katare, Charu, Saxena, Sonali, Agrawal, Supriya, Joseph, Anish Zacharia, Subramani, Senthil Kumar, Yadav, Dhananjay, Singh, Nita, Bisen, Prakash Singh, Prasad, G. B. K. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.04.2014; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Adult; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Blood; Blood Glucose - drug effects; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Body Weight - drug effects; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Cucurbitaceae - chemistry; Dyslipidemias - blood; Dyslipidemias - drug therapy; Elevation; Fruit; Glucose; Humans; Hypolipidemic Agents - therapeutic use; Lagenaria siceraria; Lipid Metabolism - drug effects; Lipids - blood; Middle Aged; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Seeds - chemistry; atherosclerosis; hyperglycemia; Lagenaria siceraria; dyslipidemia; oxidative stress
• ISSN: 2156-5872; 2156-5899; 2156-5899
• DOI: 10.1177/2156587214524229

The study validated the antidyslipidemic, antioxidant, and antihyperglycemic effects of Lagenaria siceraria fruit extract in human subjects with dyslipidemia along with subjects of normal health. A total of 200 mL of freshly prepared Lagenaria siceraria fruit extract was administered daily on empty stomach for 90 days. Significant reductions (P < .01) were found in triglycerides and total cholesterol levels in blood. Cardiac risk ratio, atherogenic coefficient, and atherogenicity index of plasma were also improved. Appreciable reductions in body mass index (P < .01) and blood pressure (systolic P < .01, diastolic P < .05) along with a significant reduction (P < .05) in fasting blood glucose levels were also observed in these subjects. Lagenaria siceraria fruit extract exhibited significant antioxidant activity in dyslipidemic subjects as evident from elevations in SOD (P < .05) and GSH levels (P < .01) with marked improvement in catalase (P < .01) and TBARS levels (P < .05). Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds. Lagenaria siceraria fruit extract serves as dietary adjunct in treatment of human dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease.