Effects of hawthorn vinegar on high-fat diet-induced metabolic changes in obese rat model

Obesity is a significant health problem with rising incidence globally. Consuming diets or foods with bioactive nutrients is recommended to combat and prevent obesity. This study aimed to determine the effects of hawthorn vinegar, which contains many biologically active substances, on certain metabolic and inflammation parameters in obese rats.

Fifty Wistar albino male rats, aged 8-12 weeks, were randomly divided into four groups, as follows: control, healthy control administered hawthorn vinegar in drinking water (3%) (HV), high-fat diet-induced obese (HFD), and HFD + HV (high-fat diet-induced obese rats administered hawthorn vinegar in drinking water at 3%). After 5 weeks, leptin, adiponectin, galectin-3, CRP, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, glucose, ALT, and AST levels were analyzed in blood.

Body weight gain was numerically lower in the HFD + HV group compared to the HFD group. Glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL, ALT, and AST levels were significantly higher in the HFD group than in the HV and control groups. Adiponectin levels decreased significantly, while galectin-3 and CRP levels increased in the HFD group compared to the other groups. In the HFD + HV group, leptin, glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels tended to be lower than in the HFD group. AST and HDL levels in the HFD + HV group were not significantly different from the healthy control parameters. Hawthorn vinegar increased adiponectin and decreased CRP and galectin-3 levels in obese rats, with values similar to those of the control group.

Daily consumption of hawthorn vinegar improved inflammatory and metabolic parameters in obese rats, suggesting its potential benefit for managing obesity-related health issues.