Intermittent Fasting Amplifies Gut-Endocrine Axis Responses to Senna alexandrina Supplementation in Obese Rats

Area of Science:

• Metabolic Health
• Gut Microbiome Research
• Dietary Interventions

Background:

• High-fat, high-sucrose diets (HFSD) induce obesity, disrupting lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and gut microbial balance.
• Effective interventions are needed to restore metabolic regulation and mitigate obesity-related health challenges.
• Senna alexandrina (SA) and intermittent fasting (IF) show potential for modulating gut microbiota and metabolic processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a low, safe dose of SA combined with IF on HFSD-induced obesity in rats.
• To evaluate the complementary benefits of SA and IF on physiological and metabolic parameters.
• To provide experimental evidence for a potential dietary approach to obesity management.

Main Methods:

• HFSD-induced obese rats were treated for four weeks with SA leaf powder (300 mg/kg/day), IF, or a combination of both.
• Bioactive constituents of SA were characterized using LC-HRMS.
• Physiological and metabolic parameters, including adiposity, lipid profiles, insulin sensitivity, and gut-endocrine axis indicators, were systematically evaluated.

Main Results:

• SA supplementation alone improved all measured parameters, outperforming IF alone.
• The combined SA+IF intervention demonstrated complementary benefits, enhancing GLUT4 expression, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and peptide YY (PYY) secretion.
• Combined therapy significantly reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, indicating a healthier gut microbial profile.

Conclusions:

• SA and IF exert complementary roles in metabolic regulation, offering a synergistic approach to combatting obesity.
• The combination of SA and IF shows significant potential in restoring metabolic balance and mitigating obesity-related dysfunction.
• This study provides a scientific basis for utilizing SA and IF as a dietary strategy for obesity management.