Quantitative Phytochemical Profiling and Lipid-Lowering Activity of Moringa oleifera Seed Kernel Extract in Hypercholesterolaemic Rats

Dyslipidaemia is a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease in Nigeria, with prevalence rising in urban centres of the North West region including Kano and Sokoto States where Moringa oleifera is abundantly cultivated. The seed kernel of Moringa oleifera has received attention for potential lipid-lowering properties, though systematic quantitative phytochemical profiling combined with in vivo efficacy studies in a Nigerian context are limited. This study performs HPLC-based quantitative phytochemical profiling of Moringa oleifera seed kernel methanol extract and evaluates its in vivo lipid-lowering activity in Triton WR-1339-induced hypercholesterolaemic rats. Phytochemical profiling quantified isothiocyanates (moringin), phenolic acids (chlorogenic, gallic), flavonoids (quercetin-3-glucoside, kaempferol), and phytosterols (beta-sitosterol). Dyslipidaemia was induced by intraperitoneal Triton WR-1339. Extract doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg were administered for 14 days. Serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides were determined by enzymatic colorimetric methods. The 400 mg/kg extract group showed significant reductions in total cholesterol (29.6%), LDL-cholesterol (34.8%), and triglycerides (22.4%), with a concurrent increase in HDL-cholesterol. Moringin and beta-sitosterol content were the highest quantified phytoconstituents and were tentatively correlated with lipid-lowering mechanisms via HMG-CoA reductase inhibition and bile acid sequestration pathways. These findings support clinical evaluation of standardised Moringa seed preparations as adjunctive dyslipidaemia therapy. Keywords: Moringa oleifera, dyslipidaemia, lipid-lowering, moringin, hypercholesterolaemia