A herbal premix containing Macrotyloma uniflorum, ginger, and whey curtails obesity in rats fed a high-fat diet by a novel mechanism

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2020 Jan;45(1):24-34. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2019-0139. Epub 2019 May 14.

Abstract

The present study designed and evaluated a polyherbal premix comprising Macrotyloma uniflorum, whey protein, Zingiber officinale, and Mentha piperita. Animals were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 30 days and were daily administered the premix (1.5 g/kg) in milk (PM) and water (PW), aerobic exercise (AE), premix in milk and water along with AE (PMAE and PWAE), ferulic acid (100 mg/kg), and the reference drug fluoxetine (6 mg/kg). All treatments showed significant reduction in food intake, weight gain, abdominal circumference, and body mass index compared with their initial values. All treatments generated a faster peak of the satiety marker cholecystokinin compared with the HFD group and control groups; PMAE and PWAE exhibited sustained satiety. The HFD-elevated blood glucose levels were significantly attenuated on the 30th day by all treatments when compared with their 15th day and basal values; PMAE exhibited the best results. All treatments significantly attenuated the HFD-elevated serum insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, triglycerides, total cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein levels and significantly restored the HFD-depleted high-density lipoprotein and adiponectin levels. HFD-elevated thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values were attenuated successfully and the HFD-depleted reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels were significantly restored by all treatments. The histological findings corroborated the biochemical results. Novelty The polyherbal premix brought about appetite regulation and induction of satiety to control obesity in HFD-fed rats through homeostasis of energy metabolism. The premix along with exercise is a complete way to combat obesity.

Keywords: CCK; activité antioxydante; anti-obesity; anti-obésité; antioxidant activity; herbal premix; high fat diet; prémélange à base de plantes; régime riche en gras; satiety; satiété.

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Anti-Obesity Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Blood Glucose / drug effects
  • Cholecystokinin / blood
  • Coumaric Acids / pharmacology
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Fabaceae*
  • Female
  • Fluoxetine / pharmacology
  • Obesity / metabolism*
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
  • Plant Preparations / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Satiety Response / drug effects
  • Whey
  • Whey Proteins / pharmacology
  • Zingiber officinale*

Substances

  • Anti-Obesity Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Blood Glucose
  • Coumaric Acids
  • Plant Preparations
  • Whey Proteins
  • Fluoxetine
  • Cholecystokinin
  • ferulic acid