Effect of Psyllium Hydrophilic Mucilloid (husk) on Primary Hyperlipidemic Patients

Background: Psyllium husk has been used for treating gastrointestinal upsets like diarrhea, constipation and irritable bowel disease in the past. Recent medical researches have shown remarkable effects of psyllium husk on all parameters of lipid profile, except triglycerides and very low density lipoproteins. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effects of psyllium husk on lipid profile of primary hyperlipidemic patients. Patients and Methods: It was a single blind placebo controlled experimental study,conducted in Jinnah Hospital Karachi, from January 2009 to June 2009. Forty hyperlipidemic patients were included in this study. Twenty patients were on placebo as control group, and twenty were on psyllium husk, ten grams daily in three divided doses, for three months. Patients with hypothyroidism, alcoholism, renal and hepatic disease were excluded from the study. Serum total cholesterol and triglycerides were estimated by the enzymatic calorimetric method. Serum High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) was determined by direct method, at day one and on last day of the treatment. Low Density Lipoprotein, (LDL) was calculated by Friedwald formula (LDL-C= TC(TG/5 + HDL-C). Data was analyzed as the mean ± standard deviation. To determine statistical significance of results, paired t-test was applied and p < 0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Two patients withdrew from the study due to personal reasons. Psyllium decreased serum total cholesterol from 228.27±4.89 mg/dl to 199.22 ± 2.30 mg/dl, triglycerides from 169.27± 9.92 mg/dl to 164.5±8.56 mg/dl, LDL from 159.72 ± 5.70 to 129.55± 2.81 mg/dl and increased serum HDL from 34.61±1.85 to 36.77±1.96 mg/dl in three months of treatment. Results of all parameters were significant, except triglycerides, when paired 't' test was applied for significance. Conclusion: From this experimental study, it was concluded that psyllium husk fibers are effective in maintaining lipid profile at normal limits in hyperlipidemic patients.