Effect of Allium sativum extract in combination -with orlistat on insulin resistance and disrupted metabolic hormones in high fat diet induced obese rats

Abstract

Obesity has increased in epidemic proportions globally and the current antiobesity drugs have treatment limitations which further reduce treatment benefits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Allium sativum and Orlistat on insulin resistance, fatty acid content and metabolic hormones; leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin in high-fat diet-induced obese rat model. The sprague-dawley rats used in this study were fed with standard chow as control diet, Fat emulsion as high-fat diet (HFD), HFD+ Orlistat, HFD+ A. sativum extract and HFD+ Orlistat+ A. sativum extract. Free fatty acid, serum glucose, insulin, leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, and Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were determined using standard methods. HFD significantly increased (P < .001) body weight, serum glucose, free fatty acid content, serum insulin, HOMA-IR and serum leptin. Furthermore, HFD reduced the serum levels of ghrelin and adiponectin when compared to control rats. The combined administration of A. sativum and orlistat resulted in a decrease in the body weight and HOMA-IR and also improved serum levels of glucose, insulin, leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin in obese rats fed with HFD. This suggests A. sativum in combination with orlistat, has the potential to ameliorate insulin resistance and metabolic hormones disrupted by obesity