Preventive effect of Caralluma fimbriata vs. Metformin against high-fat diet-induced alterations in lipid metabolism in Wistar rats

The objective of the present study was to investigate the preventive effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Caralluma fimbriata (CFE) and Metformin (Met) against high-fat diet (HF-diet) induced alterations in lipid metabolism in Wistar rats. The experimental animals were divided into five groups, two of which were fed with chow diet and the other three with HF- (60%) diet. CFE (200 mg/kg body weight/day) was administered through oral route to each group of chow-fed rats, HF-fed rats and Met (20 mg/kg body weight/day) to one of the HF-diet fed groups. At the end of 90 days of experimental period, hypercholestermia, hypertriglycerdemia, with decreased HDL-cholesterol and increased LDL, VLDL-cholesterol and atherogenic index and elevated levels of serum and hepatic transaminases and hepatic lipids (p < 0.05) and alterations in the activities of enzymes of lipid metabolism, and the liver showed mild to severe distortion of the normal architecture as well as prominence and widening of the liver sinusoids as observed in HF-fed rats, were prevented by CFE/Met treatment. The results showed that CFE/Met supplementation ameliorated significantly the disturbance in serum and hepatic transaminases, plasma and hepatic lipid profile and lipid metabolism under HF-fed conditions. It can be concluded from these results that CFE might be valuable in reducing the alterations related to lipid metabolism under high calorie diet consumption.

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