Effects of Azadirachta indica on Obesity in Serum Liver Function Test Parameters and Physical Obesity Markers in High-Fat Diet Induced Obesity in Albino Rats

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity is a serious health challenge worldwide and is associated with various comorbidities, including dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obesity is a challenging clinical condition to treat, because of their complex environmental components and efforts to develop innovative anti-obesity drugs with benefits for metabolic syndrome have been recently intensified. Aim: The study was designed to evaluate the effect of A. indica aqueous leaf extract on the biochemical and anthropometric parameters of high fat diet induced obesity in albino rats. Methodology: The obesity condition was induced in the rats by feeding them with high-fat diet for 12 weeks. Animals both male and female albino rats were divided into six groups. Group A received normal diet for 12 weeks. Group B received HFD for 12 weeks. Group C received high-fat diet for six weeks and treated with 10mg/kgbw of simvastatin for 6-weeks. Group D received HFD for six weeks and treated with 100 mg/kgbw of A. indica extract for six weeks. Group E received HFD for six weeks and treated with 200mg.kgbw of A. indica extract for six weeks. At the end of the treatment period, body mass index, abdominal circumference, thoracic circumference, Lee index, feeding efficiency, energy intake, food and water consumption, body weight gain and specific mass gain were determined. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline aminotransferase (ALP) and Total protein and Albumin were determined, Triglyceride, Total cholesterol, LDL-Cholesterol, VLDL and HDL were determined and statistically analysed using SPSS statistical software version 27. Results: The results showed that the body mass index, body weight, specific body mass, organ weight of the liver, %relative organ weight, lee index, energy intake, % feeding efficiency, food consumption, water intake were significantly decreased in the treated groups compared to high-fat diet group animals. Serum Triglycerides, Total cholesterol, LDL-Cholesterol and VLDL-Cholesterol were significantly decreased while HDL-Cholesterol was elevated in the treated groups in a dose-dependent manner as compared to the HFD group. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Total and direct bilirubin levels were significantly reduced in the treated groups while decrease in total protein and albumin levels in the HFD group showed no significant difference in the treated groups. Conclusion: These results confirmed the effect of Azadirachta indica extract in obesity as indicated by improvement of some anthropometrical parameters, amelioration of the dyslipidemia, restoration of liver enzyme.