Abstract
The antidiabetic properties of Tinospora crispa, a local herb that has been used in traditional Malay medicine and rich in antioxidant, were explored based on obesity-linked insulin resistance condition. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, namely, the normal control (NC) which received standard rodent diet, the high fat diet (HFD) which received high fat diet only, the high fat diet treated with T. crispa (HFDTC), and the high fat diet treated with orlistat (HFDO). After sixteen weeks of treatment, blood and organs were harvested for analyses. Results showed that T. crispa significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the body weight (41.14 ± 1.40%), adiposity index serum levels (4.910 ± 0.80%), aspartate aminotransferase (AST: 161 ± 4.71 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALT: 100.95 ± 3.10 U/L), total cholesterol (TC: 18.55 ± 0.26 mmol/L), triglycerides (TG: 3.70 ± 0.11 mmol/L), blood glucose (8.50 ± 0.30 mmo/L), resistin (0.74 ± 0.20 ng/mL), and leptin (17.428 ± 1.50 ng/mL) hormones in HFDTC group. The insulin (1.65 ± 0.07 pg/mL) and C-peptide (136.48 pmol/L) hormones were slightly decreased but within normal range. The histological results showed unharmed and intact liver tissues in HFDTC group. As a conclusion, T. crispa ameliorates insulin resistance-associated with obesity in Wistar rats fed with high fat diet.
Highlights
Obesity is a leading contributor to global metabolic diseases
After acclimatization for one week, animals were randomly divided into four different groups namely, the normal control (NC) which received standard rodent diet, the high fat diet (HFD) which received high fat diet only, the high fat diet treated with T. crispa (HFDTC), and the high fat diet treated with orlistat (HFDO)
The relative organ weights for liver, heart, and lung recorded at the end of the study showed a significant decrease for rats in HFDTC group compared to the rats in High fat diet (HFD) group
Summary
Obesity is a leading contributor to global metabolic diseases. Interference in glucose homeostasis interrupts extracellular and intracellular glucose concentrations, amplifying insulin production by the pancreas, leading to hyperinsulinemia. Prolong hyperinsulinemia condition promotes oxidative stress due to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Increment in ROS and oxidative stress is a key in triggering the progression of metabolic complications such as diabetic nephropathy [2]. It is important to find alternative treatments for metabolic diseases related to obesity and insulin resistance, especially from nature-based products. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine a herbal plant which is found rich in antioxidants and possesses antidiabetic properties, has attracted researchers to investigate its possible ameliorative effects on induced insulin resistance in obese subjects [4, 5]. This study aims to observe the effects of T. crispa in ameliorating insulin resistance induced in obese Wistar rats
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