Phytochemical screening and antidyslipidemic effect of lime fruit (Citrus aurantifolia) ethanol extract on high-density lipoprotein levels of high-fat diet-induced rats

Dyslipidemia is a significant health problem in Indonesia and a major cause of coronary heart disease (CHD). According to the 2018 Riset Kesehatan Dasar Nasional (RISKESDAS), 24.3% of Indonesians aged ≥15 years had low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, while 13.8% had high HDL levels. Treatment with traditional medicine is a popular approach in Indonesia. Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) contains flavonoids that can inhibit the activity of the hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) enzyme. This study aimed to identify the chemical compounds found in lime peel and fruit, as well as to determine the effective dose of ethanol extract from lime fruit in increasing HDL levels. This research is a true experimental study conducted in the laboratory using an in vivo approach. The research used a randomized post-test only control group design involving both control and treatment groups. Based on the results of phytochemical screening, the lime fruit ethanol extract contains flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, polyphenols, saponins, and quinones. Using the Saphiro-Wilk normality test, the data obtained are normally distributed with a p-value of 0.809 (p > 0.05). Statistical analysis was continued with the one-way ANOVA parametric test, and a p-value of 0.146 (p > 0.05) was obtained. An increase in the average HDL levels was also observed in the treatment group given a dose of 0.875 g/KgBW of lime fruit ethanol extract, but there was no significant difference in the average HDL levels between the groups.