Effect of Fig (Ficus carica) Leaf Extract on the Secretion and Content of Cholesterol in Hepg2 Cell

Traditional medicines remain a source of potential for discovering of new compounds with valuable pharmacological activities. Leaves of Ficus carica were dried, powdered and extracted using methanol (ME).An aliquot of ME was dried and re-extracted by water:chloroform and the other aliquot by water: peteruleum ether. Effect of aqueous fractions of the former (ACR; 0.08, 0.1 and 0.13 mg dL^-1), the latter (APR; 0.07, 0.1 and 0.15 mg dL^-1) and ME (0.03, 0.05 and 0.08 mg dL^-1) of Ficus carica leaf on the secretion and cell content of cholesterol in HepG2 cells were studied. Extracts were added to the media in both basal and glucose stimulated conditions and incubated for 48h.While glucose significantly increased cholesterol secretion (17±0.76 mg dL^-1) vs basal condition (6.91±0.66 mg dL^-1), co-incubation with extracts reduced secretion of cholesterol in many concentrations of the stimulated condition. On the other hand, cholesterol content of HepG2 in glucose stimulated condition (2.73±0.39 mg dL^-1) showed significant increase compared to the basal status (1.96±0.14 mg dL^-1) (p<0.001).Moreover such decrease was shown in response to many concentrations of the extracts. These properties making the hydro-extracts of fig leaf a potentially safe intervention to modulate postprandial hyperlipidemia.