Antioxidant potential and hypolipidemic effects of combined purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) tuber extract with honey in rats given high cholesterol feed

Backgrounds: Flavonoids prevent cholesterol rising in blood and has antioxidant effects. The purpose of this study is to prove the hypolipidemic and antioxidant effect of purple sweet potato tuber extract with the natural honey combination, which contains flavonoids. Methods: this is an experimental study using randomized pre-post-test control group design. The total of 28 adult male Wistar rats, were divided into four groups. During the four weeks of treatment, Group 1 was given high-cholesterol feed. Group 2 were given high-cholesterol feed and water extract of purple sweet potato tubers 200 mg/day. Group 3 were given high-cholesterol feed and natural honey three cc/day. Group 4 were given high-cholesterol feed and water extract combination of purple sweet potato tuber with natural honey. Before the treatment, lipid profiles, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were examined as a pre-test data. After the treatment, the blood was examined again as the pre-test data. Results and conclusion: the obtained data were tested using t-test and ANOVA. The results showed a significant increase in total cholesterol, LDL, and MDA in the blood (p <0.05), and significantly decrease HDL in group 1 (p <0.05). In group 2, 3, and four there was no significant difference in these parameters (p> 0.05), but significantly different with group 1 (p <0.05). In conclusion, the combination of water extract of purple sweet potato tuber with honey can maintain lipid profile and MDA in the normal range, in rats with high cholesterol feed.