Labisia pumila extract regulates body weight and adipokines in ovariectomized rats

We investigated the effects of a standardized water extract of Labisia pumila var. alata (LPva), and compared to estrogen replacement (ERT), on body weight gain, uterus weight, adipose tissue mRNA and protein levels of adipokines in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

Eight-week-old OVX Sprague-Dawley rats were administered orally with either 10 mg/kg/day (LPva10), 20 mg/kg/day (LPva20) or 50 mg/kg/day (LPva50) of LPva for 30 days. Sham-operated (Sham) and estrogen-treated OVX rats (ERT, 0.625 mg/kg/day) served as controls. Plasma adipokines were measured, and mRNA expressions of the adipokines were determined in the adipose tissues.

ERT- and LPva50-treated OVX rats showed significantly less (p<0.05) weight gain compared to untreated OVX rats. Ovariectomy caused plasma leptin levels to decrease significantly (p<0.05), but when treated with LPva or ERT, plasma leptin increased significantly to levels higher or comparable to that seen in the Sham group. The mRNA expression of leptin was higher in the LPva-treated animals than in all other groups. In contrast, the elevated plasma resistin concentrations in OVX rats were significantly reduced in rats given ERT (p<0.05) and LPva extracts (p<0.05). There was no difference in adiponectin levels in all groups. The uterus to body weight ratio of untreated OVX rats was significantly low compared to Sham (p<0.05), but showed dose-dependent increase upon treatment with LPva.

The present study provides first evidence that LPva exerts uterotrophic effect and regulates body weight gain by modulating secretion of leptin and resistin, and expression of the adipokines in adipose tissues.