The present study was designed to investigate the hypolipidemic effect of ethanolic extract from whole plant of Saccharum spontaneum (Linn.) (Family: Graminae) in rats fed with atherogenic diet. The acute toxicity study was showed that the ethanolic extract are safe up to 2000mg/kg, thus one tenth of this dose was consider as evaluation dose. Ethanolic extract of Saccharum spontaneum was administered in doses of 200 and 400mg/kg/day to rats fed with atherogenic diet to assess its possible lipid-lowering potential. There was a recognize raise in the body weight in AD fed group (p<0.001), which was reduced by the administration of ethanolic extract of Saccharum spontaneum (400mg/kg). The elevated levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, LDL-C and VLDL-C and decrease the plasma HDL-C were observed in rats fed with atherogenic diet (group II). After treatment of ethanolic extract of Saccharum spontaneum (400mg/kg/day) showed a significant (p<0.001) decrement in body weight, plasma and tissue total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, plasma LDL-C and VLDL-C all along with an raise in plasma HDL-C when compared to AD rats (group II). The ethanolic extract of Saccharum spontaneum could protect against atherosclerosis and decrease the atherogenic index. This finding provides some biochemical basis for the use of ethanolic extract of whole plant of Saccharum spontaneum as hypolipidemic agent having preventive and curative effect against hyperlipidemia.
