Effect of the Several Herbal Medicines Mixture on BMI and Lipid Profile -The Animal Study

Abstract

Objective: Obesity involves complex pathological mechanisms. Multi-herbal formulations targeting diversepathways may provide synergistic therapeutic benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects ofa standardized multi-herbal formulation (GUTAC), consisting of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Urtica dioica, Trigonellafoenum-graecum, Artemisia persica and Camellia sinensis Materials and Methods: Obesity was induced in male Wistar rats (n= 30) via a high-fat diet (HFD) forthree months. Subsequently, the rats were divided into three groups (n= 10 per group): (1) HFD alone, (2)HFD with GUTAC, and (3) standard diet (SD) with GUTAC, for an additional three months. Key parameterssuch as body mass index (BMI), blood biomarkers, and histopathological changes in the liver and kidney wereevaluated. Results: BMI was significantly lower in both the HFD+GUTAC and SD+GUTAC groups compared to theHFD group (P< 0.05). Notably, the SD+GUTAC group exhibited a more pronounced BMI reduction,indicating that combining GUTAC with a standard diet yields greater benefits than its combination with ahigh-fat diet. GUTAC treatment significantly reduced blood glucose levels (P= 0.0013), liver enzyme activity(AST and ALT), and improved lipid profiles, including total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides,compared to the HFD group (all P< 0.05). Furthermore, GUTAC enhanced renal function markers (BUN andcreatinine) and mitigated hepatic steatosis, as evidenced by histological analysis. Conclusion: The standardized multi-herbal GUTAC formulation demonstrated significant anti-obesity,hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, and renoprotective effects in a rat model. These benefits are likely mediatedby the bioactive compounds’ modulation of lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory pathways.These findings highlight GUTAC's potential as a multi-target therapeutic strategy for obesity, warrantingfurther exploration in human clinical trials.