Protective Effect of Dolichos biflorus Seed Extract on 3T3-L1 Preadipocyte Differentiation and High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Rats

Abstract

Obesity is known to be one of the severe health issues worldwide, as its prevalence continues to rise as well as its association with other chronic diseases worsens. Even though various approaches have been underway to prevent or treat obesity, alternative approaches are in need to combat this chronic condition because of the unsatisfactory effectiveness and adverse side effects of the existing approaches. Dolichos biflorus L. seeds have been employed as a weight-loss treatment in folk medicine. Considering the necessity to develop a safe alternative remedy to rising obesity, the current investigation has been set up to assess the antiobesity potential and the mode of action of the aqueous seed extract of D. biflorus (ASEDB) in a cell line (3T3-L1) and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced rats. For in-vitro studies, 3T3-L1 cell lines were cultured in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium (DMEM) augmented with adipogenic-inducing medium and the influence of the extract (10 µg/mL–500 µg/mL) on 3T3-L1 adipocyte viability, adipogenesis, and lipolysis was assessed. An in-vitro study revealed maintenance of cell viability, reduced triglycerides (TG) accumulation, and promoted lipolysis in 3T3-L1 cells by ASEDB. Following in-vitro analysis, the HFD-induced obese rats were treated with ASEDB at different concentrations (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg) for 60 days and the effect was evaluated through various anthropometric and biochemical parameters. The findings revealed a significant decrement in total body weight, organ weights, fat pad weights, and restoration of abnormal levels of glucose, leptin, insulin, lipid markers, and antioxidant system to normal by ASEDB treatment. Also, pancreatic lipase inhibition analysis of ASEDB revealed a modest level of inhibition with an IC50 value of 213.3 µg/mL. All these findings exposed that ASEDB possesses pronounced antiobesity potential and exhibits its protective effect by suppressing food intake, reducing fat digestion and absorption, limiting adipogenesis, enhancing lipolysis, and alleviating oxidative stress.