This study aimed to investigate the preventive role of Elateriospermum tapos seed extract against obese Sprague Dawley rats through assessment of bodyweight, caloric intake, organs weight, biological assays and histopathology. Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned into six groups of normal control (G1) group fed with standard chow diet, negative control (G2), positive control (G3) and treatment groups (G4, G5 and G6) were on high-fat and cafeteria diet for 9 weeks. G3 group was given 10 mg kg−1 of Orlistat while treatment groups were supplemented with E. tapos seed extract of 5 mg kg−1, 25 mg kg−1 and 125 mg kg−1 orally daily for another 10 weeks. Bodyweight and food intake were monitored weekly. At the end, liver, retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (rpWAT) and blood were collected for analysis of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein (HDL-C). The E. tapos seed treated groups showed significant (p < 0.05) reduction in bodyweight, caloric intake, liver and rpWAT weight as compared to the G2 group. G6 group showed tremendous improvement of liver histopathology and biological assay. There was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) of TC, TG, and LDL-C level and significant increase (p < 0.05) of HDL-C in the E. tapos seed treated group as compared to G2 group. Based on the findings, E. tapos seed extract exhibited a great potential as an anti-obesity. The extract promoted the fat oxidation by removing the uptake and storage of fat by the adipose cells and also decrease the fatty acid synthesis.

Obesity is one of the risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, abnormal liver function, diabetes, and cancers. Orlistat is currently available to treat obesity, but it is associated with adverse side effects. Natural resources are widely used for obesity treatment. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity activity of Elateriospermum tapos (E. tapos) shell extract in obesity induced Sprague Dawley rats. The rats’ obesity was induced by a high-fat (HF) diet made up of 50% standard rat pellet, 20% milk powder, 6% corn starch, and 24% ghee and a cafeteria (CAF) diet such as chicken rolls, salty biscuits, cakes, and cheese snacks. A hot aqueous method for the extraction of E. tapos shells was applied by using 500 mL of distilled water for about 24 h. Various dosages of E. tapos shell extract (10 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg) were used. At the end of the study, body weight, caloric intake, organ weight, lipid profile, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, and histopathology analysis were carried out. E. tapos shell extract treated groups showed a reduction in body weight, positive lipid-lowering effect, decrements in triglyceride accumulation and LPL activity, and positive improvement in histopathology analysis. A dose of 200 mg/kg showed the most effective result compared to 10 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg doses.