Abstract
Objective: Evaluation of the anti-obesity effect of aqueous extract of Mucuna pruriens seeds on rats.Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 wk. L-DOPA (12.5 mg/kg, p. o.) as standard drug and aqueous extract of Mucuna pruriens (AEMP) seeds (200 mg/kg, p. o. and 400 mg/kg, p. o.) as test drugs were administered in last 4 wk along with HFD. Body weight, food intake, body mass index (BMI), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were measured at the end of fourth, eighth and twelfth wk, while white adipose tissue (WAT) mass and brain dopamine levels were measured at the end of the twelfth wk.Results: AEMP (200 mg/kg, p. o.) and (400 mg/kg, p. o.) treated groups showed a significant decrease in food intake and weight gain without altering BMI. Moreover, TG levels were lower in treated groups as compared to the HFD group, but no significant changes were observed in TC and HDL levels. L-DOPA-treated group showed a significant decrease in body weight, food intake, BMI and WAT. Both AEMP and L-DOPA-treated groups showed an increase in brain dopamine levels as compared to disease control group (p<0.05).Conclusion: L-DOPA and AEMP showed anti-obesity activity by reducing body weight gains, food intake and WAT weights; modulating TG with increased brain dopamine level which correlates to the inhibitory action of dopamine on reward mechanism.
Highlights
Obesity is a medical condition in which life is hindered by excess body fat
One kg seed powder of Mucuna pruriens was initially defatted with 750 ml of petroleum ether and aqueous extract was prepared by cold maceration method
The mean body weight in the high-fat diet (HFD) group increased by 46.67 g after 12 wk of the experimental period, whereas L-DOPA and aqueous extract of Mucuna pruriens (AEMP) (400 mg/kg) group lost 23 g and 30 g respectively
Summary
Obesity is a medical condition in which life is hindered by excess body fat. The generally accepted benchmark is the BMI. A BMI in the range of 25.0-29.9 kg/m2 as grade 1 overweight. Sibutramine was widely marketed and prescribed until 2010 when it was withdrawn after a large study showed that it increased the risk of cardiovascular events and strokes and had minimal efficacy. Orlistat promotes 5 to 10% loss of body weight and has their own limitations and side effects. This currently licensed drug is best when used in combination with diet, exercise, and behaviour change regimens. They do not cure obesity and weight rebound when discontinued. There is a great demand for the search of new and safer anti-obesity medicines [2]
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