The increasing incidence of diabetic cardiovascular disease in Africa calls for the search for proper pharmacologic elementsfor its management. This research therefore, focused on the modifying effect of aqueous cocoa powder extract on predictors of cardiovascular disease. Forty female Albino rats weighing 200-250g were divided into five groups made up of three aqueous cocoa powder (200mg/kg, 300mg/kg, 500mg/kg),diabetic untreated and normoglycemicgroups, each consisting of 8 rats. Diabetes was induced using 120mg/kg alloxan administered intraperitoneally into all the rats except the normoglycemiccontrol. Freshly prepared doses of aqueous cocoa powder were administered orally to the respective groups of diabetic rats once daily for 40 days in a constant volume. Fasting blood collected by cardiac puncture under diethyl ether anaesthesia was analysed for lipid profile, lipid peroxidation and cardiovascular biomarkers determined. The result showed a significant (p<0.05) low plasma malondialdehyde level, hypertriglyceridemia, low plasma level of LDLC; and non-significant (p>0.05) hypocholesterolemia and high plasma level of HDLC in all the rats given different doses of aqueous cocoa powder extract and glibenclamidein comparison to the diabetic untreated control. Also, there was a reduction in both the atherogenic and coronary risk indices following ingestion of the aqueous extract. These results suggest that aqueous cocoa powder extract ingestion modifies diabetic dyslipidemia, prevents lipid peroxidationand prevents cardiovascular disease in rat.
