Antiobesity and Hypolipidemic Activity of Moringa oleifera Leaves against High Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Rats

Abstract

In the present study, the methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaves (MEMOL) was evaluated for antiobesity activity in rats. The antiobesity potential of MEMOL was studied against high fat diet-induced obesity (HFD) in rats. In this study, chronic administration of HFD in rats produced hypercholesterolemia (116.2 ± 0.27 mg/dL), which led to an increase in the body weight (225 gr), total cholesterol, triglycerides (263.0 ± 4.69 mg/dL), and attenuation in the levels of HDL (34.51 ± 2.20 mg/dL) as well as changes in body temperature of animals. Treatment of obese rats with MEMOL for 49 days resulted in a significant (P<0.001) change in body weight, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL level along with a significant (P<0.001) increase in body temperature as compared to the HFD-induced obesity. MEMOL treated rats also showed a significant decrease in the level of liver biomarkers, organ weight, and blood glucose level. Further, rats treated with MEMOL (200 mg and 400 mg/kg) show reduced atherogenic index (1.7 ± 0.6 and 0.87 ± 0.76). The results indicate that the rats treated with Moringa oleifera (MO) have significantly attenuated the body weight without any change in the feed intake and also elicited significant thermogenic effect and to act as hypolipidemic and thermogenic property in obesity related disorders.