ANTI-OBESITY ACTIVITY OF RIDA HERBAL BITTERS IN HIGH FAT DIET-INDUCED OBESE RATS

Abstract

Background: Obesity therapies still a serious issue worldwide and herbs from medicinal plants have play crucial roles in management of metabolic diseases. This study investigated the anti- obesity effects of Rida herbal bitters in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty two (32) male Wistar rats were used and randomly divided into four (4) groups, 8rats/group. Group I: normal control; Group II: high-fat diet (obese control); Group III & IV: high-fat diet (obese rats) administered with 0.3ml Rida herbal bitters and 40mg/kgb.w Simvastatin respectively for 6 weeks. Food intake was assessed daily and body weight weekly. The animals were sacrificed at the end of the experiment and blood samples were collected for biochemical parameters estimation. Results: High-fat diet significantly (p<0.05) increased the body weight, food intake, blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low- density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very-low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL- C),atherogenic index, cardiac risk index, leptin, creatinine, urea, uric acid, and malodialdehyde (MDA) levels and significantly (p<0.05) reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), ghrelin, adiponectin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Treatments with Rida herbal bitters significantly (p<0.05) lowered the body weight, food intake, blood glucose, insulin, TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C, atherogenic index, cardiac risk index, creatinine, uric acid, urea, leptin and MDA levels and significantly (p<0.05) elevates HDL-C, ghrelin, adiponectin, SOD, GPx, CAT and GSH levels.Conclusion: Rida herbal bitters ameliorate the metabolic alterations induced by high-fat diet and may be a promising therapy for obesity and its complications.