ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effect of methanol extract of grapefruit peels on serum cholesterol concentration, serum triacylglycerol and protein concentrations in male rats. It also examined the effect of the extract administration on body weight and vital organs. Adult male albino rats where randomly divided into four groups and treated with different concentrations of the extracts alongside 2mg/kg body weight of cholesterol for eight days. Results show that serum cholesterol concentration was 121.08 ± 1.71, 106.97 ± 6.67, 12± 14.74 in group II, III and IV respectively, which received 10mg/kg, 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg body weight of extract respectively, while the control, (group 1), had 119.53 + 25.0 serum cholesterol concentration. The decrease in serum cholesterol concentration in all extract administered groups was statistically non-significant (P0.05). Serum triacylglycerol concentrations reduced non-significantly (P0.05) in all extract administered groups (93.43 ± 33.26), (89.42 + 9.84) except for group IV (104.98 ± 23.59). Serum protein concentration increase no significantly (P0.05). in all extract administered group (17.00 ± 13.19), (18.43 ± 11.21), (22.67 ± 3.23) group II, III, IV respectively. While the control group had (5.56 + 3.87) mg/dl protein. Group II had the highest mean body weight gain (3388 ± 8.608) while group IV had the lowest mean body weight gain (19.78 ± 5.870). There was a non-significant increase in the relative organ weights of all the extract administered groups except for the mean relative weight of kidney where there is a significant increase.