en فارماكوگنوزی و فارماسيوتيكس Pharmacognosy & Pharmaceutics پژوهشی Research <div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Background:</span></span></b> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Hypercholesterolemia is a key risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, prompting the search for natural alternatives with fewer side effects than conventional drugs such as orlistat. <b>Objective:</b> This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the hepatoprotective and hypolipidemic efficacy of hydroalcoholic extracts from </span></span><i><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">H. </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">gossypifolius</span></span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">, <i>Trachyspermum copticum</i>, <i>Taraxacum officinale</i>, and <i>Rosmarinus officinalis</i> in a rat model of diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. </span></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Methods:</span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""> Fifty-six male Wistar rats were allocated into seven groups (n= 8). Groups received either a standard diet, a high-cholesterol diet (</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">HCD</span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">; 2 % cholesterol) with saline, or the </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">HCD</span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""> supplemented via daily gavage with orlistat (10 mg/kg) or one of the plant extracts (500, 800, 200, 300 mg/kg, respectively) for 48 days. Biochemical parameters, including lipid profile, liver enzymes, and renal markers, were analyzed. <b>Results: </b></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">The extracts demonstrated distinct therapeutic specializations. <i>T</i></span></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span arial="" style="font-family:">.</span></span><i> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">officinale</span></span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""> was the most effective in reducing body weight gain. <i>T.copticum</i> and <i>R. officinalis</i> showed superior hepatoprotective effects, significantly lowering AST, and ALT/ALP levels, respectively. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, none of the plant extracts reduced LDL or total cholesterol more effectively than the HCD-control; orlistat was the most effective hypolipidemic agent. <i>R. officinalis</i> showed a non-significant trend towards reducing creatinine levels. </span></span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">Conclusion: </span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times="">This study shows the investigated plant extracts have specific, complementary effects. <i>T. officinale</i> potently reduces weight gain, whereas&nbsp;<i>T. copticum</i> and <i>R. officinalis</i> provide significant hepatoprotection. However, these extracts did not show superior hypolipidemic efficacy compared to the control, a finding that requires further study. The potential of these plants for weight management and liver protection merits future research with standardized extracts.</span></span></div> Hibiscus gossypifolius, Rosmarinus officinalis, Taraxacum officinale, Trachyspermum copticum, Hypercholesterolemia, Medicinal Plants 53 67 http://jmp.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-7224-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Ali Zarei zarei.ali40@gmail.com 100319475328460049488 100319475328460049488 No Department of Physiology, Estahban School of Paramedical Sciences, School of Nursing Hazrat Zahra (P.B.U.H) Abadeh, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Naser Hosseini na_hosseini@ymail.com 100319475328460049489 100319475328460049489 No Department of Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak, Iran Majid Ramezani m_ramezani@sina.tums.ac.ir 100319475328460049490 100319475328460049490 No Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Abbas Alimoradian alimoradian1352@gmail.com 100319475328460049491 100319475328460049491 No Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran Saeed Changizi-Ashtiyani ashtiyani@yahoo.com 100319475328460049492 100319475328460049492 Yes Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran