Effect of some agriciltural treatments on growth , yield, and active constituents of nerrium oleanderl. And the bioactivity of these constituents on hypercholesterolemic rats

Abstract EN

Two field experiments were carried out on oleander plants during the two successive seasons of 2001 and 2002 at Maryout Research Station, Alexandria.

The first experiment was done to study the effect of planting distance (50 cm, 75 cm and 100 cm) on growth characters.

It showed that the highest values of growth parameters per plant resulted from the widest plant spacing of 100 cm.

On the other hand, the highest estimated yield of oleander leaves per fed.

was obtained from the narrowest plant spacing of 50 cm.

The second experiment aimed to study the effect of different sources of nitrogen fertilizer as ammonium sulfate (20.5% N), ammonium nitrate (35% N) and urea (46% N) at fixed rate (60 Kg N per fed) on growth parameters.

The maximum values of growth parameters (plant height, number of branches and fresh and dry weight per plant was obtained from ammonium nitrate.

The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of oleander leaves were investigated as hypocholesterolemic effect on rats.

For this purpose, an experiment was carried out using 36 rats which were divided into six groups (6 rats for each group).

The first group (positive control) was fed on basal diet throughout the experimental period (7 weeks).

The second group (30 rats) was fed on hypercholesterolemic diet (HC–diet) for 21 days to increase the cholesterol level.

This second group was then divided into 5 subgroups.

The first subgroup was continued to be fed on HC–diet.

The second and third subgroups were fed on HC–diet in addition to daily administrated orally of ethanol extract.

The fourth and fifth subgroups were fed on HC–diet in addition to daily administrated orally of water extract.

HDL– cholesterol, LDL– cholesterol and the ratio of total cholesterol / HDL-cholesterol were calculated in rat serum.

The ratio of total cholesterol / HDL-cholesterol was significantly decreased in hypercholesterolemic rats by giving ethanol extract of oleander leaves, which proved the beneficial effect of these diets as hypocholesterolemic agents.

Total lipid, total cholesterol and triglycerides were also determined in rats serum.

Significant decreases in all these parameters were recorded.