The essential oils (EO) of Salix aegyptiaca L., Salicaceae (SA), leaves were extracted using the hydrodistillation method and their chemical composition was further determined by GC-MS. 1,4-Dimethoxybenzene was the main isolated compound. Other major isolated constitutes were phenylethyl alcohol, carvone, citronellol, methyleugenol, eugenol, n-tetradecane and 4'-methoxyacetophenone. Twenty rabbits were equally divided into four groups: Normal control (NC) which fed a standard diet and three cholesterol-fed groups: HC, HC+1.0% SA and HC+3.0% SA groups which received 0.0%, 1.0% and 3.0% EO, respectively for four weeks. The serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles and atherogenic index (AI) were measured weekly. The high cholesterol diet significantly raised the TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C, HDL-C, TG and AI level compared with NC group. HC+1.0% SA and HC+3.0% SA groups showed similar results compared with HC group. It can be concluded that the EO of SA leaves could not prevent dyslipidemia that occurred in rabbits following inclusion of cholesterol in diet in both dose-and time-dependent manners.
Salix aegyptiaca; hypercholesterolemia; essential oil; 1,4-dimethoxybenzene
