I refer to letter entitled "Natural Anti-cholesterols" by S. Abeywickrama (Island , 04 February 2005) who says that "Karapincha" (Murraya Koenigie), garlic, "goraka" (Garcinia cambogia), "Kebella dalu", Pathola" (Snake gourd), "Uluhal" (Fenugreek) and cloves (S. Korabu) can be use to reduce blood cholesterol.

Out of above dietary items, there is scientific evidence to show that garlic brings down blood cholesterol in such as rabbits and in humans. As for "Karapincha", although some heart patients with blood cholesterol use this dietary item with the intention of lowering high blood cholesterol, as far as I am aware there is no scientific evidence to prove that "karapincha" lowers blood cholesterol. As far as I am aware there is also no scientific evidence to show that "goraka", "kebella dalu", " pathola", "uluhal" and cloves have an anti-cholesterol effect I would be very grateful to any "Island" reader who could enlighten the reading public by quoting scientific evidence to show that "kebella dalu", "goraka", "pathola", "uluhal" cloves and "karapincha" have an anti-cholesterol effect in humans.

Whenever I come across a patient with blood cholesterol, I first advise the patient to take a low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet and make life style changes and if there is no response to above treatment, 1 start the patient an cholesterol — lowering drugs such as statins which are very effective on lowering blood cholesterol. There were several patients in my practice, who wanted to try out "karapincha" in preference to cholesterol — lowering drugs, and todate I have not come across a single patient who has brought down blood cholesterol by using "karapincha".