Natural Remedies for Hypercholesteremia

Hyperlipidemia (HL) is considered an abnormal blood level of fats (lipids) leading to disorders in blood circulation, endocrine secretions, and glucose metabolism. It affects most of the world's population and can lead to death. A vast range of edible medicinal plants are rich in biochemicals that have been shown to possess direct antihypercholesterolemic (cholesterol-lowering) and antihypertriglyceridemic (triglyceride-lowering) effects. These biochemicals regulate lipoprotein levels by reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol through different utilization pathways. Experimental and clinical studies suggest that, due to these effects, these medicinal plants may help prevent high blood pressure and cardiac disorders. From the beginning of creation, natural aroma plants were the attention of several civilizations. Thus, the future outlook involves the ongoing search for a safe and natural effective herbal medication that can regulate blood lipid levels with few side effects. Three medicinal herbs – Allium sativum (garlic), Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek), and Cynara cardunculus subsp. Scolymus (artichoke) – and each of their roles in treating hyperlipidemia are discussed in detail, including their bioactive isolates, their pharmacological properties, and their interrelated role in regulating blood lipid levels. They are natural edible prescriptions used to prevent, treat, and avoid many potentials. Garlic is a characteristic edible, pungent bulbous underground stem belonging to family Liliaceae. The most predominant medicinal aspects of this plant are achieved due to its characteristic nutritional bioactive compounds. The most dominant are its aromatic sulfur compounds (allicin), steroidal sapogenins (diosgenin), galactomannans (a kind of polysaccharide), flavonoids (quercetin and apigenin), and inulin, with several phenolic compounds (luteolin, cymaroside, and scolymoside) and triterpenes and sesquiterpenes (cynaropicrin and cynarascosides A, B, and C), respectively of the plant mentioned above species. Since ancient times, garlic has been used for abdominal (colic pain, disinfect the intestine, and gastritis), respiratory (asthma, pneumonia, influenza, bronchitis, and cough), and skin (wounds, boils, pimples, and snake and scorpion bites) disorders; bacterial infections; cancer; diabetes; hair loss; heart diseases; hypertension; and poor blood circulation. Fenugreek has traditionally been used to cure skin conditions and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) disorders and to regulate prolactin levels and food intake. Artichoke is traditionally used to treat hepatic (chronic albuminuria, liver tonic, and jaundice), abdominal (dyspepsia), and blood (postoperative anemia) disorders. Nowadays, pharmacological studies demonstrate that, based on their traditional uses, these plants can have huge therapeutic effects and assist in the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections, hypertension, cancer, blood clots, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. The objective of this chapter is to assemble the biological studies that explain how edible medicinal plants may be used to treat these illnesses, emphasizing both the potential efficacy and mode of action of these plants.