This study evaluated the protective effects of commercial herbal preparation (HP) on acetaminophen (APAP) induced lipid profile aberrations in rats. Twenty four male rats were divided into 6 groups of 4 rats each and treated orally as follows: Group 1 (normal control), group 2 (intoxicated and untreated), group 3 (pre-treated with 100 mg/kg b.w. of silymarin), groups 4, 5 and 6 (pre-treated with 1, 2 and 3 ml/kg b.w. HP) for 10 days. On day 11, after 30 min of HP and standard drug administration, rats in groups 2 to 6 were intoxicated orally with 2 g/kg b.w. of APAP after which treatment continued. The rats were sacrificed on day 15 after an overnight fasting and blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. The total cholesterol (TC), high and low density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL) and triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations of the experimental rats were determined. The phytoconstituents of the herbal preparation (HP) was also evaluated. The presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids and phenols were detected in herbal preparation (HP). There were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in TC, LDL and TAG concentrations in group 2 compared with group 1 (normal control). Also, rats in group 2 had significantly (p < 0.05) lower HDL concentration when compared with rats in group 1. Pre-treatment of rats with HP and silymarin significantly (p<0.05) prevented the elevation in TC, LDL and TAG concentrations and the reduction in HDL concentration when compared with that of group 2. These findings showed that herbal preparation (HP) are rich in phytochemicals and possess modulatory effect on APAP-induced dyslipidaemia.

Keywords: Herbal preparation, lipid profile, silymarin, phytochemicals, lipoproteins.