Studying The Effect Of Hawthorn (Crataegus Pinnatifida) And Bay (Laurus Nobilis) Leaves Mixture On Body Weight In Obese Rats

Abstract

Obesity is a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors associated with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality rate. Nowadays, usage of herbs for the management of obesity or controlling body weight interesting. Therefore, the present study was set to investigate the effectiveness of the mixture of hawthorn and bay leaves in controlling body weight in obesity induced by high- fat and calories diet (HFCD) in rats. The experiment was conducted in two stages, each of 4 weeks; in the first stage (induction of obesity) rats were divided into two main groups, normal group (7 rats) fed on the basal diet, and the second main group (28 rats) fed on the HFCD.  In the second stage, obese rats were divided into 4 groups (each of 7 obese rats); a positive control group (group 2) was fed on HFCD, group 3, 4 and 5 were fed on supplemented HFCD with the mixture of hawthorn and bay leaves in proportions of 2.5, 5 and 10%, respectively. Feeding obese rats on supplemented HFCD with the leaves mixture of hawthorn and bay results in significant (P<0.05) reduction in body weight gain, relative weight gain, visceral fat weight and adiposity index; and serum levels of insulin Leptin hormone, TC, TG, TL, LDL-c, VLDL-c and MDA and activities of AST, ALT, ALP enzymes in comparison to positive control group. The results also showed a significant (P<0.05) improvement in the serum levels of HDL-c and insulin and activities of antioxidant enzymes (GPx, GSH and SOD), compared to that of the positive control rats. Microscopically, results showed gradual improvement in histopathological structural of both heart and aorta sections with an increase in the proportion of the mixture of hawthorn and bay leaves in treated obese rats, compared to that of the untreated obese rats. Finally, the mixture of dried hawthorn and bay leaves shows powerful potential as natural lowering worker of weight and blood lipids levels. There is need of further study to find out how both herbs works and use of them as anti-obesity agent.