LAUSR

Introduction: Herbal drugs constitute a major part in all traditional system of medicine. Researchers have no doubt that nature is still the preeminent synthetic chemist and that in plants, particularly; there are almost infinite reserves of chemical constituents with actual and potential effects on human body. The herb Capsicum annuum is a culinary herb and its two pharmacological properties i.e. lipid lowering and antidiabetic activity are unexplored. This research paper focuses on hypocholesterolemic and antidiabetic property of capsaicinoids and its further use as an antiobese drug. Experimental Work: Wister strain of albino rats were divided into four groups comprising of six rats each. Group I served as normal control fed with normal pellet chow, group II served as disease control fed with high fat diet /diabetogenic diet, group III and IV animals, received capsaicinoids and standard drug (Atorvastatin / metformin) respectively. The study was carried out for a period of 9 weeks for hypocholesterolemic and 11weeks for antidiabetic activity. Results: Administration of HFD or diabetogenic diet for stipulated days to rats significantly increased the body weight, serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels; and decreased HDL cholesterol as compared to normal control. Treatment with capsaicinoids/ atorvastatin showed a significant reduction in the body weight gain, and the levels of serum triglycerides, total, LDL, VLDL cholesterol and increase in HDL cholesterol . However capsaicinoids not only significantly reduced the cholesterol levels but also reduced the glucose levels which were due to dyslipidemia when compared with the standard. This was true with antidiabetic activity where the blood serum profiles reduced along with glucose levels