Evaluation of Antiobesity Activity of Various Plant Extracts

Obesity is one of the major factors contributing to increase prevalence of various pathophysiological disorders like hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and congestive heart diseases. Attempts made to reduce body fat can be positively linked with lower risk involved in these diseases. The present paper emphasizes on study related to the antiobesity effect of plant extracts in Albino Wiatar rats fed with high atherogenic diets. The effect of plants extract like Vitis vinifera, Oroxylum indicum, Garcinia indica and a phytoconstituent isolated from sugarcane wax i.e. polycosinol were evaluated on parameters like body weight, organ weight and biochemical parameters like serum glucose. The plant extracts exhibited good antiobesity effect when compared with the diseased state group fed with high cholesterol rich diet. The blood sugar level and body organ weights were also found to be reduced significantly as compared to normal group. All these extracts are rich in polyphenols which may be responsible for their antiobesity activity.