Fermented barley averts diet induced obesity via modulating the lipid metabolic gene expression in Sprague dawley rats.

Abstract

This study investigated the anti‐obesity effect of fermented barley on diet induced obesity in Sprague dawley (SD) rats. Animals were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=6); ND‐C, ND‐SH, normal diet plus guar gum or 1500 mg/kg bodyweight (BW) fermented barley group respectively; HD‐C, high fat diet plus guar gum; HD‐SL, HD‐SM and HD‐SH, high fat diet plus 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg BW fermented barley respectively. Guar gum supplementation was equivalent to the amount of soluble fiber in the fermented barley. After 19 weeks animals were sacrificed, serum lipid profile, leptin, ghrelin and hepatic lipid metabolic gene expression level were examined. A significant reduction in bodyweight, bodyweight gain, BMI, obesity index, epididymal adipose tissue weight, feed and energy intake was observed in HD‐SH group compared to HD‐C and HD‐SL group. Serum leptin decreased significantly in a dose dependent manner. Serum triglyceride and ghrelin level did not show significant change compared to the control group. Total cholesterol and LDL‐cholesterol tended to decrease; HDL‐cholesterol did not show significant changes. The mRNA expression of FAS was significantly decreased; ACO, PPARγ and PPARα increased dose dependently. CPT1α level was at similar level in all fermented barley group. These data indicated that fermented barley exerts an anti‐obesity effect against diet induced obesity conditions in rats.