Effects of ethanolic extract of Iris germanica on lipid profile of rats fed on a high-fat diet.

Ethanolic extract of Iris germanica rhizomes was investigated for hypolipidemic activity. I. germanica belong to the family Irdaceae and has been used to treat liver and spleen ailments in traditional system of medicine. Two groups of Wistar rats were fed with high-fat diet and ethanolic extract of I. germanica were administered orally in one group of rats, while other received saline for 10 weeks. Complete lipid profiles of experimental animals were determined by assessing serum levels of total lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Results indicate that ethanolic extract of I. germanica significantly lowered the lipid components especially, the cholesterol and triglycerides.