Abstract

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is considered toxic and has other life-threatening side effects including dyslipidemia. There is no research report on the health effects of Ethiopian highland green tea. Previous work data from elsewhere suggest that lipid abnormalities are associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effect of green tea (Ocimum gratissimum) hydro-ethanolic leaf extract on highly active antiretroviral therapy induced dyslipidemia in albino Wistar rats. Thirty rats of age 10 to 12 weeks and similar weights were selected and divided in to 5 groups of six rats each. Group-I (normal control group) were given distilled water, Group II were given HAART only, Groups III, IV and V were  given antiretroviral therapy and 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of extract, respectively for sixty days. The dissolved crude extracts of different doses were given to rats using oral gavage. On experiment day, the rats were fasted overnight, sacrificed by cervical dislocation and blood was taken by cardiac puncture for lipid profile investigation. Lipid profile was measured spectrophotometrically using standard kits and procedures. Elevated levels of serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed in highly active antiretroviral therapy treated group. The rats that received HAART+400 mg of O. gratissimum showed a significant decrement of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.05) with no alteration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol. The green tea leaf extract with a dose of 400 mg/kg has a good protective effect against HAART induced dyslipidemia which might be due to its antioxidant property.

Key words: Highly active anti-retroviral therapy, green tea leaf extract, dyslipidemia, rats.