Aloe vera ameliorates hyperlipidemia, enhances endogenous antioxidant activity and regulates liver function in high fat diet fed mice

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Prolonged high fat diet consumption was reported to cause metabolic disorders including obesity, NAFLD and insulin resistance. NAFLD is one of the common causes of liver failure with lipid accumulation and inflammation as the major driving forces for its progression. OBJECTIVE: The study was aimed at evaluating the benefits of Aloe vera supplementation on lipid profiles, antioxidant properties, liver function as well as the histology of liver, heart and brain on high fat diet induced toxicity in BALB/c mice. METHODS: Eighteen mice were divided into three groups (n = 6). Group 1 received normal diet (Vital feed), group 2 received high fat diet (HFD) i.e. 70 g of normal diet plus 30 g of margarine, while group 3 received high fat diet plus Aloe vera (HFD+AV) i.e. 100 g of HFD plus 20 g of Aloe vera gel. The mice were fed for 10 weeks and euthanized thereafter. The liver function, lipid profiles, antioxidant properties as well as liver, brain and heart histology were evaluated. RESULTS: The levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the HFD treated mice compared to the control. Liver catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in HFD+AV treated mice compared to the control and HFD treated mice. The liver of HFD+AV treated mice showed normal architecture while those of HFD treated mice showed numerous hepatic vacuoles indicative of fat droplets. CONCLUSIONS: Aloe vera supplementation regulated liver function and prevents hyperlipidemia. The resultant effect increased antioxidant activities thereby preventing liver injury and brain damage.