Phytochemical characterization of Averrhoa bilimbi and in vitro analysis of cholesterol lowering effect on fatty food materials

Scientific Study from the year 2017 in the subject Chemistry - Bio-chemistry, grade: 1.5, Mar Augusthinose College, language: English, abstract: As the prevalence of obesity and hypercholesterolemia are very common in our society, plants with cholesterol lowering action has great value in modern therapeutics. The phytochemicals present in the extracts of Averrhoa bilimbi were analyzed and its effect on lowering cholesterol in various fatty food materials was evaluated in vitro. Various phytochemical compounds like tannins, saponins, alkaloids, emodins, proteins, carbohydrate, terpenoids, glycosides, flavonoids, coumarins and phenols were found in the fruit extracts of the plant. The level of cholesterol was evaluated by Zak's method in five different fatty food materials. After the treatment with extract four of them showed significant reduction in the cholesterol level day by day and no change in the cholesterol level was observed in one sample.

Dr. Prem Jose Vazhacharickal is currently working as an assistant professor in the Department of Biotechnology, Mar Augusthinose College, Ramapuram, Kerala, India. He received the research training and academic guidance from Prof. Dr. Andreas Buerkert, University of Kassel, Germany.