Root Extract of Nypa fruticans Exhibits Superior Hypolipidaemic Activity Compared with Leaf and Seed Extracts in High-Fat Diet-Induced Hyperlipidaemic Rats

Abstract

Background: Dyslipidaemia is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, necessitating the search for effective natural lipid-lowering agents. Aim: This study compared the phytochemical composition and hypolipidaemic effects of ethanolic root, leaf, and seed extracts of Nypa fruticans in high-fat diet-fed Wistar rats. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses were performed. Hyperlipidaemia was induced by feeding rats a high-fat diet for four weeks. The animals were assigned to six groups: normal control, hyperlipidaemic control, atorvastatin, root extract, leaf extract, and seed extract. Atorvastatin (10 mg/kg) or plant extracts (200 mg/kg) were administered orally for 28 days. Body weight and the serum lipid profile were determined. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenolics, terpenoids, steroids, and glycosides. The root extract had the highest total phenolic (96.42 ± 2.81 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (61.84 ± 1.76 mg QE/g) contents, while the seed extract had the highest saponin (28.53 ± 1.07 mg/g) and terpenoid (45.91 ± 1.43 mg/g) contents. Compared with the normal control, the hyperlipidaemic control had significantly higher total cholesterol (168.35 ± 5.72 mg/dL), triglycerides (142.18 ± 4.67 mg/dL), and LDL-C (111.44 ± 4.23 mg/dL), but lower HDL-C (28.47 ± 1.36 mg/dL; p < 0.05). The root extract significantly reduced total cholesterol (98.65 ± 3.87 mg/dL), triglycerides (86.42 ± 3.15 mg/dL), and LDL-C (34.18 ± 1.85 mg/dL), while increasing HDL-C (47.83 ± 1.94 mg/dL) compared with the hyperlipidaemic control (p < 0.05). Among the extracts, the root extract produced the greatest hypolipidaemic effect, while seed and leaf extracts showed comparatively lower effects. The extracts also reduced body weight gain. Conclusion: N. fruticans, particularly the ethanolic root extract, demonstrated hypolipidaemic potential in high-fat diet-fed Wistar rats. Further studies are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and establish its potential clinical relevance.