Preliminary phytochemicals and evaluation of the hypolipidemic effect of a saponin from Asparagus officinalis L. roots in hyperlipidemic rats

Hyperlipidemia, a condition of elevated lipids in the blood, is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis and subsequently cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of mortality worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the hypolipidemic properties of the saponin extracted from the roots of A. officinalis (AOe) against Swiss albino Wistar rats. The root extract of A. officinalis was screened for its phytochemical investigation. Initial phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of saponins. The root extract of A. officinalis underwent Soxhlet extraction with a solvent, followed by fractionation with n-butanol to isolate the saoponin-rich fraction. The separated fraction was orally administered to Triton-induced hyperlipidemic Wistar rats for 28 days at increasing doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight. At the end of treatment, serum lipid profiles, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), were assessed and compared with those of a conventional hypolipidemic agent (atorvastatin). The present study found that the saponin-rich fraction therapy from A. officinalis significantly (p<0.001) attenuated the elevation of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), coupled with a concurrent improvement in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, demonstrating pronounced hypolipidemic efficacy. This study demonstrates the hypolipidemic efficacy of the saponin fraction from A. officinalis in rats, exhibiting a reduction in bad cholesterol and an increase in good cholesterol. These findings suggest it could serve as a viable alternative for managing hyperlipidemia. Keywords: Hyperlipidemia, A. officinalis, Triton, Soxhlet, total cholesterol, hypolipidemic