Ahmed M. Ahmed Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Omar F. Khabour Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. Amjad Yousuf Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Saber M. Eweda Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Walaa Mohammedsaeed Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Haytham M. Daradka . Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Salwa F. M. Hassanein Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Family Sciences, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Amna M. Ibrahim Faculty of Medicine, Omdurman Islamic University, Khartoum, Sudan

Keywords: Adansonia digitata, Baobab, lipid profile, lipid oxidation, essential oil

Abstract

Background
There is a growing interest in medicinal plants in recent years due to their many therapeutic benefits and low side effects. Among the medicinal plants is the African Adansonia digitata (baobab) that has edible fruit. In the current study, the effect of A. digitata juice consumption on the lipid profile was investigated. In addition, inhibition of the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in-vitro by A. digitata essential oil (EO) was also investigated.
Methods
In this cohort study, a total of 70 subjects of A. digitata users (AD group, 42 male and 28 female) and 70 non A. digitata users (Non-AD group, 44 male and 26 female) were recruited to participate in this study. We evaluated lipid profile, HbA1c, liver/kidney functions, and phytosterol contents in fasting blood samples of all participants.
Results
The present findings illustrated significantly lower levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL in the AD group compared to Non-AD (p < 0.01). In addition, essential oil of A. digitata inhibited LDL oxidation in-vitro as shown by the significant decreases in the formation of malonaldehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC), and lipid hydroperoxide (LHP) (P<0.05). No significant changes in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, HDL, kidney function, and liver function enzymes between the two groups were detected (P>0.05).
Conclusion
The juice of A. digitata has hypolipidemic and antioxidative effects and might be beneficial for the management of lipid levels in the body.

Section

Original Research

Copyright for articles published in this journal is retained by the journal.