Comparative Study on Effect of Chrysophyllum albidum and Irvingia gabonensis Leaves Extracts on High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Wistar Rats

Leaves of Chrysophyllum albidum and Irvingia gabonensis have been reported to possess saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids and tannins which have several health benefits. This study investigated the anti-obesity effect of methanol extract of leaves of Chrysophyllum albidum and Irvingia gabonensis in high fat diet (HFD) fed rats. Male Wistar rats were fed with HFD for eight weeks to induce obesity. Rats in different groups were thereafter treated with extracts of Chrysophyllum albidum (250 and 500 mg/kg; p.o), Irvingia gabonensis (250 and 500 mg/kg; p.o) or the reference anti-obesity drug (orlistat®; 20 mg/kg, p.o) for four weeks. Body weight, body mass index (BMI) and Lee’s index were recorded. Following sacrifice of the rats, weight of adipose tissues (retroperitoneal and epididymal fat), serum lipid profile, kidney function markers, liver and cardiac function enzymes were measured. Histopathological examination of the liver and kidney tissues were carried out. Obese rats treated with Chrysophyllum albidum, Irvingia gabonensis or orlistat showed normal body weights. Weights of adipose tissues, BMI and Lee’s index were comparable with those of normal control [normal fat diet (NFD) fed rats]. Also, serum analysis showed that orlistat and extracts treated rats had restored lipid profile, liver, kidney and cardiac function parameters in contrast with the untreated HFD fed obese group. Furthermore, liver and kidney of orlistat and extracts treated groups showed normal architecture while those of the untreated HFD group showed inflammation and hepatic steatosis. Findings from the study suggest that methanol extracts of Chrysophyllum albidum and Irvingia gabonensis leaves have anti-obesity and anHow to cite this paper: Ibukun, O., Obuseh, A.F. and Omoregie, S.E. (2022) Comparative Study on Effect of Chrysophyllum albidum and Irvingia gabonensis Leaves Extracts on High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Wistar Rats. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 13, 259-283. https://doi.org/10.4236/fns.2022.133022 Received: January 27, 2022 Accepted: March 25, 2022 Published: March 28, 2022 Copyright © 2022 by author(s) and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access