BACKGROUND: Obesity and lipid profile disturbance are the key role player in developing coronary heart disease. Herbal medicines are famous and the focus of research nowadays because of their being highly effective in healing with lesser side effects.  METHODS: This was the experimental study and it was done at Biochemistry Department in teamwork with the Diagnostic and Research Lab, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Science Jamshoro, Sindh. The sample size was (n=48). The study was conducted on 48 male albino rats. Negative controls (n=12) were fed a basal normal diet. Positive controls (n=12) were given a high-fat diet (sixty percent fats, with twenty percent proteins and carbohydrates). Experimental (n=12) high-fat diet-induced dyslipidemia given pumpkin seed oil 100 mg/kg body weight. Experimental (n=12) high fat diet-induced dyslipidemia given apricot essential oil 100 mg/kg body weight. At the end of the experiment, the rats were left overnight fasting for eight hours. After taking their weight, fasting rats were anesthetized to get a blood sample from the retro-orbital capillary plexus.  The lipid profile was determined on Cobas e 411 (Roche). RESULTS: The end experiment lipid profile was compared in four groups, negative controls, positive controls, intervention pumpkin seed oil, and intervention apricot oil.  Serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL were significantly high in positive controls as compared to negative controls; while the intervention with pumpkin seed oil revealed a decrease in cholesterol to 194mg/dl and intervention of apricot showed a decrease in cholesterol up to 214.2 mg/dl. (p value<0.01).  Pumpkin seed oil is more effective in reducing cholesterol levels. Compared to the positive control, HDL levels in pumpkin seed oil fed was 37.9 mg/dl and in apricot oil fed groups was 39.6 mg/dl. The most significant increase in HDL was observed in the apricot oil-treated group.(p-value <0.01).    End Experiment body weight negative and positive controls were found as 237.5±8.58 mg/dl and 282.03±8.260 grams (P=0.0001). Compared to the positive control, the body weight in pumpkin seed oil fed was 233.69±6.17 grams and in apricot oil, fed groups were 208.82±5.52 grams. The most significant body weight decrease was observed in the apricot oil-treated group. (P<0.01) CONCLUSION: Pumpkin seed oil is more effective in decreasing cholesterol levels as compared to apricot oil while apricot oil has more potential of increasing good cholesterol HDL.

KEYWORDS: Apricot oil, Body weight, High fat diet, Pumpkin seed oil