The Effectiveness Of Tempuyung Leaf (Sonchus Arvensis) Decoction in Lowering Total Cholesterol Of Male Rats (Rattus Novergicus)

Abstract

Cholesterol levels in the blood can have varied suggestions. If the LDL levels in the body are high, it will harm our body, especially the cholesterol blockage of blood vessels. The compilation of the WHO Global status report on non-communicable diseases in 2008 showed that the prevalence of risk factors of hypercholesterolemia in Indonesia women was higher at 37.2% compared to men’s, which was only 32.8%. There are many ways to minimize the danger of cholesterol, one of them is by eating vegetables, herbs or wild plants that are efficacious in lowering cholesterol levels in the body. One of the wild plants, which have the potential to lower cholesterol level, is tempuyung leaves (Sonchus arvensis). Based on the studies that had been conducted before, tempuyung leaves had the benefit to lower uric acid levels in rats, dissolve calcium oxalate. Tempuyung leaves contain flavonoid amounted to 0.1044% that can act to reduce LDL in the body. This study was an experimental study (true experimental research), which aimed to determine whether tempuyung leaf (Sonchus arvensis) decoction is effective in lowering the total cholesterol levels in male rats. The samples used were four white rats (Rattus novergicus), rat as the negative control treatment has absorbance value of 0.058 with total cholesterol level of 59.183 mg/100g. Rat as the positive control treatment has absorbance value of 0.090 with total cholesterol level of 91.836 mg/100g. The decoction of tempuyung leaves concentration of 20% has absorbance value of 0.122 with total cholesterol of 183.163 mg /100 g. The decoction tempuyung concentration of 40% has absorbance value of 0.225 with total cholesterol level of 340.414 mg /100 g. The results of this study led to a conclusion that the provision of various concentrations of decoction of tempuyung leaves could not lower the cholesterol level in rats.