Abstract:
Objectives: To study the weight-reducing effect of M. Oleifera Leaves against induced obesity in rabbits. Study Design and Settings: It was an animal study conducted in the Department of Pharmacology, Liaquat National Hospital & Medical College, Karachi. Methodology: The study period was 6 months, and random sampling was done. Twenty four Healthy rabbits of either sex, weighing 1–2 kg and aged 1-3 years, were included in the study. Sick rabbits weighing less than 1 kg or more than 2 kg and aged less than 1 year or more than 3 years were excluded from the study. Results: The weight of Group B animals fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 28 days increased significantly from 1.28±0.07 to 1.88 ± 0.17. While the weight of Group C and D rabbits which were fed with M. oleifera extract(300mg/kg and 600mg/kg) along with a HFD for 28 days, increased slightly from 1.38±0.07 to 1.53± 0.08 and from 1.25±0.13 to 1.38± 0.14 respectively. P-value of weight on Day 28 also became significant with a P-value of (0.000), which was (0.176) on Day 0, proving the anti-obesity effects of M. oleifera leaves. Conclusion: In our study, we found out that there was a significant weight-reducing effect of M. oleifera leaves against obesity induced rabbits as well as skin fold thickness was also decreased. This study also indicates that the given dose of M. oleifera leaves extracts are devoid of any side effects.
Keywords:
Body mass index
,
Obesity
,
Moringa oleifera
,
Highfat diet
,
World Health Organization