Effects of herbal mixture extracts on obesity in rats fed a high-fat diet

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of three herbal mixture extracts on obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in rats. The prescriptions-Pericarpium citri reticulatae and Fructus crataegi-were used as matrix components and mixed with Ampelopsis grossedentata, Salvia miltiorrhiza, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) to form T1, T2, and T3 complexes, respectively. Results revealed that HFD feeding significantly increased body weight gain, fat deposition, plasma lipid profiles, hepatic lipid accumulation, and hepatic vacuoles formation, but decreased plasma levels of adiponectin in rats. Only the T1 complex showed the tendency, although not significantly so, for decreased HFD-induced body weight gain. T1 and T3 complexes significantly reduced HFD-induced fat deposition, and plasma levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Only the T1 complex significantly increased HFD-reduced adiponectin levels in plasma, but decreased HFD-increased triglyceride content in liver tissues. All complexes effectively inhibited HFD-induced vacuoles formation. The content of dihydromyricetin, salvianolic acid B, and EGCG in T1, T2, and T3 complexes was 18.25 ± 0.07%, 22.20 ± 0.10%, and 18.86 ± 0.04%, respectively. In summary, we demonstrated that herbal mixture extracts, especially T1 complex, exhibit antiobesity activity in HFD-fed rats.

Keywords: herbal mixture extracts; high fat diet; obesity; rats.

Figure 1

Effects of three herbal mixture extracts on body weigh changes in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rat during the 8-week experimental period. Rats were fed a normal diet (C), HFD, or HFD with 500 mg/kg of T1, T2, and T3 complex for 8 weeks and the body weight was measured weekly. Values from 10 rats are expressed as mean ± standard deviation; means without a common letter differ significantly (p < 0.05).

Figure 2

Effects of three herbal mixture extracts on hepatic vacuoles in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats at the end of experiment. Rats were fed a normal diet (C), HFD, or HFD with 500 mg/kg of T1, T2, and T3 complex for 8 weeks. Histopathological analysis of liver tissues by hematoxylin and eosin stain.

Figure 3

HPLC chromatogram of marker compounds in three herbal mixture extracts. (A) HPLC chromatogram of standard dihydromyricetin (0.389 mg/mL). (B) HPLC chromatogram of dihydromyricetin in T1 complex. (C) HPLC chromatogram of standard salvianolic acid B (0.4032 mg/mL). (D) HPLC chromatogram of salvianolic acid B in T2 complex. (E) HPLC chromatogram of standard EGCG (0.2105 mg/mL). (F) HPLC chromatogram of EGCG in T3 complex. EGCG = epigallocatechin-3-gallate; HPLC = high-performance liquid chromatography.