We used in this study the effect of Crataegus sinaica (hawthorn fruit) that found in St Catherin (South Sinai Desert, Egypt) on male Newzeland rabbits fed on atherogenic diet on various lipid profiles in serum, heart and liver. Four groups of six animals each were used
( untreated normal control ) received basal non-atherogenic diet, (Group II) received the basal non-atherogenic diet as in group I and were treated simultaneously with the hawthorn fruit (2.0 g of hawthorn fruit powder /100 g body weight for 6 weeks), (group III) Received atherogenic diet without treatment. (Group IV) Received atherogenic diet and were treated simultaneously with the hawthorn fruit. The results showed that the feeding of atherogenic diet caused significant increase in lipid components of serum as well as liver and heart tissues. Crataegus sinaica administration simultaneously with atherogenic could prevent the rise in lipid levels in serum and tissues. Crataegus sinaica administration simultaneously with basal non-atherogenic diet did not affect on the normal lipid profiles. We concluded that the levels of total serum cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), VLDL and LDL which are actually raised in atherogenic diet, can be lowered significantly with Crataegus sinaica fruit. Serum nitric oxide (NO) concentrations from rabbits were increased up to 5 fold in high-fat fed treated rabbits (group VI) showing significant effect of hawthorn treatment. so, its hypolipidemic effect may have a protective mechanism against the development of atherosclerosis. The present results proved that the Egyptian Crataegus sinaica fruit can be used for medicinal purposes as a hypolipedemic and anti-atherosclerotic drug.