Monoterpene phenolic compound thymol prevents high fat diet induced obesity in murine model
Mohammad Rafiul Haque1, S H Ansari, A K Najmi
1Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry and.
Context:
Obesity has become a worldwide health problem. Most of the synthetic anti-obesity drugs have failed to manage the obesity due to either ineffectiveness or adverse effect. The research of prominent chemical constituents from herbal for the management of obesity has greatly increased.
Objective:
The main objective of the present study was intended to examine the effects of thymol in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in murine model.
Methods:
Male Wistar rats were fed HFD for 6 weeks to induce obesity. Thymol (14 mg/kg) administered orally twice a day to HFD-fed rats for 4 weeks. Alteration in body weight gain, visceral fat-pads weight and serum biochemical markers were assessed.
Results:
At the end of study, rats fed with HFD exhibited significantly (p < 0.001) enhanced body weight gain, visceral pad weight, lipids, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), glucose, insulin and leptin levels compared with rats fed with normal diets. Thymol treatment showed significantly (p < 0.001) decreased body weight gain, visceral fat-pad weights, lipids, ALT, AST, LDH, BUN, glucose, insulin, and leptin levels in HFD-induced obese rats. Furthermore, thymol treatment showed significantly decreased serum lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant levels in HFD-induced obese rats.
Discussion And Conclusions:
Thymol prevents HFD-induced obesity in murine model through several mechanisms including attenuation of visceral fat accumulation, lipid lowering action, improvement of insulin and leptin sensitivity and enhanced antioxidant potential.
Insights
Thymol effectively combats obesity induced by high-fat diets in rats. It reduces weight gain, fat accumulation, and improves metabolic markers, offering a potential natural approach to weight management.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Metabolic Diseases
- Natural Product Research
Background:
- Obesity is a global health crisis with limited effective synthetic treatments.
- Herbal compounds are increasingly researched for obesity management due to safety and efficacy concerns.
- Synthetic anti-obesity drugs often present challenges with effectiveness and adverse effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the anti-obesity effects of thymol.
- To evaluate thymol's impact on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in a murine model.
Main Methods:
- Male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet for six weeks to induce obesity.
- Thymol (14 mg/kg) was administered orally twice daily for four weeks to obese rats.
- Changes in body weight, visceral fat, and serum biochemical markers were analyzed.
Main Results:
- HFD-induced rats showed significant increases in body weight, visceral fat, lipids, liver enzymes (ALT, AST), LDH, BUN, glucose, insulin, and leptin.
- Thymol treatment significantly reduced body weight gain, visceral fat, lipids, ALT, AST, LDH, BUN, glucose, insulin, and leptin.
- Thymol also decreased lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant levels in obese rats.
Conclusions:
- Thymol demonstrates significant anti-obesity effects in a HFD-induced murine model.
- Mechanisms include reduced visceral fat, lipid-lowering effects, and improved insulin and leptin sensitivity.
- Thymol enhances antioxidant capacity, contributing to its obesity-preventive properties.
