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Antiobesity effect of Tamarindus indica L. pulp aqueous extract in high-fat diet-induced obese rats

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Abstract

Obesity and overweight are associated with atherosclerosis, fatty liver, hyperlipemia, diabetes mellitus, and various types of cancer. The global prevalence of overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Here, we investigated the effect of Tamarindus indica pulp aqueous extract (TIE) in diet-induced obese Sprague–Dawley rats. The animals were divided into five groups and labeled as follows: the normal control (NC) group received normal diet; the positive control (PC) group received high-fat diet; and the TIE 5, 25, and 50 groups, after the induction of obesity via a high-fat diet, received TIE at 5, 25, or 50 mg/kg orally for 10 weeks. It was observed that TIE decreased the levels of plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglyceride, and increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL), with the concomitant reduction of body weight. Moreover, TIE decreased plasma leptin and reduced fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity and enhanced the efficiency of the antioxidant defense system. TIE exhibits antiobesity effects, as indicated by a significant reduction in adipose tissue weights, as well as lowering the degree of hepatic steatosis in the obesity-induced rats. The extract possesses hepatoprotective activity, as it reversed the plasma liver enzymes level elevation prior to the high-fat diet. In conclusion, TIE improved obesity-related parameters in blood, liver, and adipose tissue in a rat model and suppressed obesity induced by a high-fat diet, possibly by regulating lipid metabolism and lowering plasma leptin and FAS levels. A dose-dependant effect of TIE is detected, where TIE at 50 mg/kg showed the most prominent effect, followed by TIE at 25 mg/kg and, subsequently, 5 mg/kg.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by Research University Grant Scheme (RUGS) Universiti Putra Malaysia grant number 91135. The authors wish to acknowledge the Anatomy Laboratory of Universiti Putra Malaysia for their facilities.

Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Phytomedicine Research Group, Department of Human Anatomy, Division of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Khairunnuur Fairuz Azman & Zulkhairi Amom

  2. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Azrina Azlan & Norhaizan Mohd Esa

  3. Herbal Technology Center, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Rasadah Mat Ali, Zamree Md Shah & Khairul Kamilah Abdul Kadir

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  1. Khairunnuur Fairuz Azman
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  2. Zulkhairi Amom
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Correspondence to Zulkhairi Amom.

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Azman, K.F., Amom, Z., Azlan, A. et al. Antiobesity effect of Tamarindus indica L. pulp aqueous extract in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. J Nat Med 66, 333–342 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-011-0597-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-011-0597-8

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