Protective Effects of Ethanolic Extract of Zingiber officinale Rhizome on the Development of Metabolic Syndrome in High‐Fat Diet‐Fed Rats

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome, including obesity, dyslipidaemia, hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance that predisposes type 2 diabetes is a major disease problem around the world and a plethora of herbal medicines are claimed to be effective in controlling these disorders. The rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae) is commonly used as a spice in various foods and beverages. Apart from its other traditional medical uses, Z. officinale has been used to control diabetes and dyslipidaemia. In the present study, the protective effects of an ethanolic extract of Z. officinale on the development of metabolic syndrome were investigated in a high-fat diet-fed rat model at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight. The marked rise in body weights, glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids and phospholipids in serum of the rats that followed 6 weeks of high-fat diet treatment were significantly reduced by Z. officinale treatment. However, no significant change in serum HDL cholesterol was observed either with high-fat diet or Z. officinale compared to both control groups. The present results provide scientific evidence to substantiate the traditional use of Z. officinale in preventing metabolic disorders.Metabolic syndrome including the presence of obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia that predisposes type 2 diabetes is becoming more prevalent in recent years [1,2]. According to recent estimates, approximately 215 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes and 80-90% of them from type 2 diabetes [3]. The modern lifestyle of increased intake of high-calorie cafeteria fast food associated with decreased energy expenditure also contributes to the current rising prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes [4]. Recent epidemiological studies also revealed that 90% of all patients with type 2 diabetes are or have been overweight, and indicated that obesity is a strong risk factor and cause of type 2 diabetes and associated metabolic disturbances [5,6]. The events of hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia, and their association present major risk factors for the development of diabetic and cardiovascular complications [7]. To reduce these serious complications and negative outcome of the metabolic syndrome, the control not only of blood glucose but also of lipids is necessary [8]. Therefore, new medicinal agents with dual properties on controlling both blood glucose and lipids are in great demand. The currently available therapeutic options such as dietary modification or a combination of synthetic antidiabetic, hypolipidaemic drugs have their own limitations and undesirable side-effects [7]. Hence, there is an increased demand to search and evaluate traditional approaches for the treatment of metabolic disorders, particularly the use of herbal medicines.Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) commonly known as ginger, a well-known food spice, has been used traditionally in a wide variety of ailments [9,10]. The major chemical constituents of ginger rhizome are essent...

Dietary Ginger Extracts Enhanced Glucose Uptake by Muscle and Adipose of Normal and Diabetic Rats via Mimicry of Insulin Action

“…Islam and Choi, [11] reported no change in final body weight, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin and serum lipid profile in high-fat diet (22% fat) in STZ-induced diabetic rats after 4 weeks administration of freeze-dried ginger powder given at 2% of the diet but there was significant increase in serum insulin, though this did not result into a significant lowering of blood glucose. The report of Islam and Choi [11] was in conflict with that of Nammi et al, [12] who observed a significant reduction in body weight, fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, total cholesterol in high-fat diet fed rats which were given 400mg.kg body weight ethanol ginger extract. The variation in these reports could be as a result of differences in period of extracts' administration or differences in the form of ginger used.…”

Zingiber officinale(Ginger): A Future Outlook on Its Potential in Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes and Prediabetic States

“…It is accepted that both hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia are important contributing factors to the development of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes [30] and hyperlipidemia represents a significant modifiable risk factor. In the HFD-treated rats [28] ginger extract effectively reduced the elevated levels of serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol towards control levels, in addition to producing a marked reduction in elevated serum triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids. Similar results were found in another HFD study (60% fat and 10.6% carbohydrate), where Zingiber officinale extract (400 mg/kg for 6 weeks) reduced the enhanced triglyceride levels and showed a small but not significant decrease in hepatic cholesterol level [29].…”

“…Related studies will be found in the original articles cited. [28]. In the earliest model examined [28] we investigated the effect of an ethanolic extract of ginger (which contained not less than 10% [6] Figure 1), at 1.56 mg/g, 0.24 mg/g, and 11.70 mg/g, respectively.…”

Análise Sistemática Da Produção Científica Do Zingiber Officinale Roscoe Após a Criação Da Relação Nacional De Plantas Medicinais De Interesse Ao Sistema Único De Saúde

“…Também já foi avaliado in vivo o efeito do extrato etanólico do gengibre. Concluiu-se que o extrato administrado durante seis semanas, suprimiu o ganho de peso corporal e de glicose (48) . Ainda, outro estudo avaliou, durante três meses, o efeito da suplementação de gengibre em pacientes iranianos portadores de diabetes tipo 2.…”