OBJECTIVETo investigate the acute toxicity, lipid reducing effect and mechanism of action of ethanol extracts of Matbuhi Aftimun (E-MA), a classic prescription of Uighur medicine, on hyperlipidemia rat model.

METHODSThe LD50 or maximum tolerance of rats to E-MA was determined by simplified probit method. Hyperlipidemia rat model was established in SD rats by feeding high lipid emulsion, then E-MA at different dosages (0.80 g/kg, 1.60 g/kg and 3.20 g/kg) was given orally to them. The effects of E-MA on model rats' serum lipids, including total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), were observed. And its effects on malondialdehydec (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), total lipase, including lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepato-lipase (HL) activities in the liver homogenate were assayed.

RESULTSThe maximum tolerance of rats to E-MA was 64 g (crude drug)/kg. Compared with the hyperlipidemia model rat, the blood TC level was lower (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the MDA content in the liver homogenate was higher in model rat after E-MA treatment (at all the three specified dosages, P < 0.01), but no significant difference was found in comparisons of serum levels of LDL-C, HDL-C and TG (P > 0.05), also on the levels of SOD, GSH-PX and total lipase in the liver homogenate (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONE-MA shows a serum TC reducing effect on hyperlipidemia rat model with low toxicity in mice.