Antioxidant and hepatic protective effects of lotus root hot water extract with taurine supplementation in rats fed a high fat diet

Huan Du,Ji-Yeon Park,Sung-Hoon Kim,Kyung-Ja Chang,Jeong-Soon You,Xu Zhao

doi:10.1186/1423-0127-17-s1-s39

Abstract

BackgroundNelumbo nucifera, known as sacred lotus, is a well-known medicinal plant and this lotus root is commonly used as food compared to different parts of this plant. This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant and hepatic protective effects of lotus root hot water extract with taurine supplementation in high fat diet-induced obese rats.MethodsThirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats (4-week-old) were randomly divided into four groups (n=8) for 6 weeks (normal diet, N group; high fat diet, HF group; high fat diet + lotus root hot water extract, HFR group; high fat diet + lotus root hot water extract + taurine, HFRT group). Lotus root hot water extract was orally administrated (400mg/kg/day) to HFR and HFRT groups and the same amount of distilled water was orally administered to N and HF groups. Taurine was supplemented by dissolving in feed water (3% w/v).ResultsThe activities of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase in serum were lower in HFR and HFRT groups compared to HF group. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance contents in all groups fed a high fat diet were higher compared to N group. The activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes were higher in HFR and HFRT groups compared to HF group.ConclusionsThese results suggest that lotus root hot water extract with taurine supplementation shows antioxidant and hepatic protective effects in high fat diet-induced obese rats.

Highlights

Nelumbo nucifera, known as sacred lotus, is a well-known medicinal plant and this lotus root is commonly used as food compared to different parts of this plant
High fat diet leads to an increase in oxidative stress levels [1] which is related to many human diseases such as cancer, ischemia, failures in immunity and endocrine functions [2]
Body weight and adipose tissue weight The final body weight of HF group was significantly higher compared to other groups (Table 2) and epididymal fat (E-fat) and retroperitoneal fat (R-fat) weights of HF group were significantly higher compared to other groups

Summary

Introduction

Known as sacred lotus, is a well-known medicinal plant and this lotus root is commonly used as food compared to different parts of this plant. This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant and hepatic protective effects of lotus root hot water extract with taurine supplementation in high fat diet-induced obese rats. High fat diet leads to an increase in oxidative stress levels [1] which is related to many human diseases such as cancer, ischemia, failures in immunity and endocrine functions [2]. High fat diets may induce accumulation in liver (non alcoholic fatty liver disease) [5]. It has been reported that taurine possesses antioxidant properties [10,11], which is contributed by scavenging ROS [12] and reducing TBARS[13], and possesses the activity of hepatic protection [14]

Methods

Results

Conclusion