Background: Dyslipidemia or hyperlipidemia is a consequential condition resulting from derangement in lipid profile. Standard treatment such as Atorvastatin though beneficial, causes many serious adverse effects thus an alternative like Crataegus oxyacantha (Hawthorn) with hypolipidemic potential was investigated.

Aims: To evaluate prophylactic and therapeutic hypolipidemic potential of crataegus oxyacantha (hawthorn) fruit in comparison with atorvastatin in murine model of dyslipidemia through assessing physiological parameter i.e., weight and serum biochemical parameters i.e., lipid profile: TC, TGs, VLDL, LDL and HDL.

Study design: This experimental study was carried out in research laboratory of Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College and National Health Research Centre (NHRC), Lahore

Methods: A murine study of 60 days was conducted on 64 male albino Wistar rats (Age ± 6 weeks) divided into 8 groups with 8 rats each weighing 180-200 grams. Group 1 (healthy control) received normal diet and 2 ml of normal saline for 60 days. Group 2 (disease control) received HFD and 2 ml of normal saline for 30 days while 3-5 (prophylactic groups) were given HFD along with ethanolic extract of Crataegus oxyacantha fruit, atorvastatin and their combination in doses of 40 mg/kg OD, 80 mg/kg OD and 20+40 mg/kg OD orally respectively for the same period. 6-8 (therapeutic groups) received ethanolic extract of Crataegus oxyacantha fruit, atorvastatin and their combination respectively after induction of dyslipidemia from 30^th till 60^th day in the same doses as mentioned above. Each rat was weighed and fasting samples for biochemical parameters were drawn by cardiac puncture in all groups at baseline and repeated at 30^th day in all groups while also at 60^th day in therapeutic groups as well as healthy control group. The results were analyzed using one way ANOVA for Mean±SD, post hoc Tukey’s test for group comparison in the Graph-Pad Prism (V.5) software. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Study period: This study was conducted from September, 2020-November, 2020.

Results: Our murine study concludes that Crataegus oxyacantha (40 mg/kg OD orally) when administered prophylactically and therapeutically shows a noteworthy hypolipidemic potential when compared with Atorvastatin (80mg/kg OD orally). Better results were obtained in prophylactic doses as well as in low dose combination with Atorvastatin (20 mg/kg + 40 mg/kg respectively).

Conclusion: Results suggest that Crataegus oxyacantha can be used as alternative in treating hyperlipidemias.

Keywords: Crataegus oxyacantha, Atorvastatin, Hyperlipidemia.