No abstract

There are controversies as to whether ascorbic acid is efficacious in inducing weight loss and lowering lipid in obese subjects. Therefore, this study investigates the role of ascorbic acid in the treatment of obesity. Twenty-four male wistar rats were randomly divided into control, fructose, ascorbic acid and statin (n=6). Obesity was induced in the rats via free gavage drinking of fructose solution (20%w/v). Then, ascorbic acid group received 1g/kg/p.o ascorbic acid while statin group received 200mg/kg/p.o atorvastatin through oral canula for two weeks. The waist circumference, body weight, nose-anal length and Lee obesity index of the rats were measured using a vernier caliper, weighing balance and tape respectively. Serum Apolipoprotein A1 and B, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid were determined spectrophotometrically. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze data at α=0.05. The significant (p<0.01) increases in waist circumference, body weight, nose-anal length, apolipoprotein B and a lee index >300 indicated that fructose induced obesity and dyslipidemia in the wistar rats. But ascorbic acid and statin decreased (p<0.05) the waist circumference, body weight, Lee index and apolipoprotein B in the obese rats. Also, serum MDA and SOD increased while glutathione and ascorbic acid decreased significantly (p<0.05) in the obese rats, however, these were reversed upon ascorbic acid and statin treatment. Thus, ascorbic acid may serve as an anti-obesity and anti-lipidemic agent via acting on oxidative stress pathway.