Elucidation of the effects of combined administration of Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum ethanol extracts on lipid profile by means of female Wister rat models

Dyslipidemia is a metabolic condition that is marked by abnormal levels of serum cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). Elevation of CHO, TG, LDL and VLDL can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke. In this study, the influence of Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale ethanol extracts on the various lipid components when administered in monotherapy and in combination therapy were evaluated using female Wister rat models. Mature female Wister rats (n = 40) were divided into eight groups. Group 1 was the control group and received 10 ml/kg body weight of distilled water. Group 2 and 3 received 530 mg/kg body weight of Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum respectively. Groups 4-8 were treated with different ratios of the two herbs administered in combination (Zingiber officinale:Allium sativum). The ratios were 2;8, 4:6, 5:5, 6:4, and 8:2. On the 91st day post treatment, blood samples were collected from the animals in all the groups and analyzed for the lipid components notably CHO, TC, TG, HDL, LDL, and VLDL. It was observed that Alliun sativum given alone had the best effects on all the lipid components which was significant (P ˂ 0.05). It can be concluded that Allium sativum administered alone exhibited the greatest potentials in lowering bad cholesterol (TG, TC, LDL and VLDL) as well as increasing the good cholesterol (HDL) than Zingiber officinale or combination of the two herbs administered in all proportions.