ANTI-OBESITY POTENTIALS OF AQUEOUS AND METHANOL EXTRACTS OF Vernonia amygdalina DEL. LEAVES IN HIGH-FAT DIET FED RATS

Abstract

Background: Obesity is currently a global epidemic. Conventional treatments have not been very satisfactory to patients, warranting
 a search for alternative therapeutic options that are natural, safe and affordable. This study therefore investigated the anti-obesity
 potentials of aqueous and methanol extracts of Vernonia amygdalina Del (AEVA and MEVA respectively) in a rat model in which
 obesity was induced using a high-fat diet.
 Materials and Methods: Forty two Wistar rats were randomised into 7 groups of 6 rats each. One group served as the Normal
 Control group and obesity was induced in the other 6 groups. One of the 6 groups each served as Positive Control and Negative
 Control while the 4 test groups were designated AEVA100, AEVA500, MEVA50 and MEVA200, respectively. The study lasted for
 12 weeks after which standard protocols were followed for all analyses and determinations.
 Results: The results show that both AEVA and MEVA at the tested concentrations resulted in significant (P < 0.05) weight loss
 (without affecting internal organs negatively), and significant (P < 0.05) improvement in some metabolic markers of obesity in the
 test rats compared to the negative control rats. MEVA 200 had the greatest anti-obesity effect while MEVA 50 was the least
 effective. All the test extracts compared well with Orlistat used as the positive control drug on all counts.
 Conclusion: The observed weight-loss benefits of AEVA and MEVA are attributable to the rich milieu of phytochemicals found in
 Vernonia amygdalina Del. Further studies to unlock the mechanisms through which the observed weight loss is mediated are
 warranted.

Vernonia Amygdalina Leaves Incorporation Into High Fat Diet Exhibited Hypoglycemic, Hepatoprotective, and Weight Lowering Effects in Monosodium Glutamate Intoxicated Wistar Rats

“…Possible mechanisms of action of V. amygdalina in weight reduction include delaying intestinal absorption of dietary fats and carbohydrates via inhibition of digestive enzymes 28 . Taken together, the results corroborate previous reports from studies done by Egedigwe et al, 38 on the antiobesity potential of diet-incorporated V. amygdalina. It also shows that the current obesity epidemic might be due to interactions of various dietary factors excluding the combination of MSG and HFD.…”

“…This may be attributed to the two weeks of acclimatization at the beginning of the study period where there was a negative weight gain. The highest adiposity index at the end of week 8 was seen in the HFD-only group showing a trend similar to earlier reports by Egedigwe et al, 38 on HFD-induced obesity in experimental rats which could be attributed to the high-fat composition of the formulated diet. At the end of the study period, there was no increase in the adiposity index recorded for the 5%, 10%, and Orlistat 10 mg/kg group but they were all higher than all other treatment groups but not enough to confirm the presence of obesity.…”

Synergistic Antibacterial Effect of Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Vernonia amygdalina Delile Leaves with Tetracycline against Clinical Isolate Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

“…The Vernonia amygdalina Delile species is a member of the Asteraceae family [ 13 ] and is native to West Africa. Nonetheless, V. amygdalina leaf extract exhibited several pharmacological effects, including antibacterial activity [ 14 ].…”