Hypolipidemic and weight reducing activity of two Hypericum species extracts in cafeteria fed overweight rats

This study examined the anti-overweight effect of Hypericum silenoides Juss and Hypericum philonotis Cham. & Schlecht in male Wistar rats fed with a cafeteria diet. Rats were fed with cafeteria diet (human snacks and Mexican foods) for 77 days. Hypericum species were daily administrated orally at the doses 10, 30 and 100mg/kg of body weight during 35 days. The effect of extracts of both plants on body weight, food intake, anorexic effect and various biochemical parameters like serum glucose, lipid profile, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and atherogenic index (A.I.) was measured. Additionally, inhibitory lipase activity assay and forced swimming test were performed. H. silenoides and H. philonotis extracts significantly reduced serum glucose levels and body weight gain induced by cafeteria diet in rats. Treatment with aqueous extract of H. silenoides showed anorexic, antidepressant effects and also significantly (p<0.05) decreased total-cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-C while LDL-C, A.I., AST and ALT were not altered. On the other hand, dichloromethane extract of H. silenoides (IC₅₀=262.79±0.09µg/mL) and hexane extract of H. philonotis (IC₅₀=162.60±0.02µg/mL) showed the most active lipase inhibition. These results demonstrate that some H. silenoides and H. philonotis extracts decrease body weight gain and serum parameter (glucose, triglycerides), produced anorexic and antidepressant effect in cafeteria diet-fed rats. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by grant of “Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico” DGAPA-UNAM IN 210112