LAUSR

Hypercholesterolemia is considered as one of the major risk factors for atherosclerosis. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of Ocimum basilieum L. against hypercholesterolemia in rats. Isolation and identification of flavonoid compounds from the methanolic extract of Ocimum basilicum L. leaves were performed by UV, 1H, 13C-NMR and1D/2D NMR, HMBC and HMQC techniques. The biochemical evaluation was performed through measuring Total Cholesterol (TC), High Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (HDL-C), Low Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (LDL-C), Triglycerides (TG), Malondialdehyde (MDA), Glutathione (GSH), Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), aspartate and Alanine Aminotransferases (AST & ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea, creatinine and albumin levels as well as DNA fragmentation pattern of kidneys. The histopathological features of liver and kidney were also examined. The phytochemical study revealed the presence of seven flavonoid compounds (apigenin- 8-C-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-O –glucopyranoside (1), apigenin 6, 8-di-C-β-glucopyranoside (vicenin 2) (2), apigenin 7-O-(6”-O-trans-p-coumaryl)-β–glucopyranoside (3), apigenin 7-O- β-glucopyranoside (4), apigenin 8-C-β-glucopyranoside (vitexin) (5), apigenin -6-C-β-glucopyranoside (isovitexin) (6), apigenin (7)) and one phenolic compound; rosmarinic acid (8). Treatment with leaves extract at a dose of 250 mg/kg body weight for nine weeks simultaneously with oral cholesterol administration (30 mg/0.3 ml 0.7% tween/ animal) to rats fed with high fat diet restored all the biochemical parameters and the architectures of liver and kidney. Methanolic extract of Ocimum basilieum L. leaves succeeded to act as a hypolipidemic, antioxidant and hepato-renal therapeutic agent due to its rich biologically active phenolic and flavonoids compounds.