The Effect of Saponin Consumption on Cholesterol Metabolism in Wistar Albino Rats

The effect of saponin on total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, free fatty acids and body weight changes were investigated in male Wistar albino rats. Three groups of six male Wistar albino rats each were placed on a 21-days diet supplementation. The control group was given 60g of normal growerʹs mash daily and the experimental groups were fed 60g of feed containing a mixture of the mash and soya bean flour (10g and 20g of flour respectively on daily basis. Water was given ad labium to the animals. The animals were sacrificed on the last day of feeding experiment and results show non significant (P<0.05) decreases in levels of plasma cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in the test groups compared to the controls, however, there was no change in plasma free fatty acids in all the test groups relative to the control. Body weight changes showed increases at P<0.05 in all the test groups which was non significant (P>0.05) relative to the control. The study showed the cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol lowering effects of saponin in Wistar albino rats with no corresponding change in plasma free fatty acids hence saponin could be utilized in therapeutic management of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.