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Planta Med 2012; 78(7): 651-657
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1298379
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Preventive Effect of Embelin from Embelia ribes on Lipid Metabolism and Oxidative Stress in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Rats

Hemantkumar Somabhai Chaudhari1 , Uma Bhandari1 , Geetika Khanna2
  • 1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi, India
  • 2Department of Pathology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
Further Information

Publication History

received Nov. 16, 2011 revised February 14, 2012

accepted February 17, 2012

Publication Date:
26 March 2012 (online)

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Abstract

A high-fat diet (HFD) results in hyperlipidemia and an increase in oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the preventive effect of embelin against hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress in HFD-induced obesity in rats. Male Wistar rats aged 12 weeks (150–200 g) were fed with an HFD for a period of 28 days to induce experimental obesity. HFD-induced obese rats were treated with embelin (50 mg/kg) or orlistat (10 mg/kg) for 21 days. A range of parameters were tested including body weight gain, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, visceral fat pad weights, serum levels of glucose, insulin, leptin, apolipoprotein B (ApoB), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), hepatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH). Twenty-one days of embelin (50 mg/kg) treatment produced effects similar to orlistat in reducing body weight gain, blood pressure, visceral fat pad weight, serum lipid levels, as well as coronary artery risk and atherogenic indices of HFD-fed rats. Embelin treatment also lowered the serum levels of glucose by 24.77 %, insulin by 35.03 %, and leptin by 43.39 %. Furthermore, embelin treatment significantly (p < 0.01) decreased the hepatic TBARS levels, while increasing the SOD, CAT, and GSH levels in obese rats. The present study indicated the preventive effect of embelin in HFD-induced obesity and its related complications. Embelin could be valuable in the development of new drug therapies to prevent obesity, hyperlipidemia, and oxidative stress.

Key words

embelin - Embelia ribes Burm. - Myrsinaceae - hyperlipidemia - obesity - oxidative stress

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Dr. Uma Bhandari, Associate Professor

Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy
Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University)

Hamdard Nagar

New Delhi 110062

India

Phone: +91 11 26 05 96 88

Fax: +91 11 26 05 96 63

Email: uma_bora@hotmail.com

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