Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Ethylacetate fraction of Anthocleista vogelii Planch demonstrates antiobesity activities in preclinical models

Gabriel O Anyanwu^1,2, Hafiz Misbah ud Din Qamar², Jamshed Iqbal³, Syeda A Ejaz³, Eusebius C Onyeneke⁴ , Shafi U Khan⁵, Khalid Rauf², Nisar-ur-Rahman ²

¹Department of Biochemistry, Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State, Nigeria; ²Department of Pharmacy; ³Centre for Advanced Drug Research, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan; ⁴Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; ⁵School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.

For correspondence:- Eusebius Onyeneke Email: eusebius.onyeneke@uniben.edu Tel:+2348023327930

Accepted: 13 February 2019 Published: 31 March 2019

Citation: Anyanwu GO, Qamar HM, Iqbal J, Ejaz SA, Onyeneke EC, Khan SU, et al. Ethylacetate fraction of Anthocleista vogelii Planch demonstrates antiobesity activities in preclinical models. Trop J Pharm Res 2019; 18(3):547-554 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v18i3.15

© 2019 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To assess the anti-obesity effect of liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) profiled ethylacetate fraction (EF) of Anthocleista vogelii Planch on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro, and on obesity-related hormones in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats.

Methods: Chromatographic analysis of EF to identify bioactive compounds was performed using LCMS electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) positive mode. Thirty Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups (n = 6). Group 1 was fed normal pellet diet, while groups 2 - 5 were fed high-fat diet (HFD) for 14 weeks. The rats were treated for 4 weeks from week 10 with 125 mg/kg of EF (group 3), 250 mg/kg of EF (group 4) or 100 mg/kg of orlistat (group 5).

Results: Seven alkaloids were identified in EF, namely, 10-hydroxycamtothecin, moschamindole, camptothecin, moschamine, N6-cis-p-coumaroylserotonin, sinomenine and desacetylcolchicine. The EF of A. vogelii exhibited inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 8.76 ± 0.110 µg/mL. Rats treated with EF (125 and 250 mg/kg) of A. vogelii showed significantly (p < 0.05) decreased feed intake, body weight, leptin and insulin, when compared to HFD controls. Cortisol, serotonin and noradrenaline were significantly (p < 0.05) increased, but changes in thyroid hormones levels in EF-treated rats were not significant (p > 0.05) when compared to HFD controls.

Conclusion: The EF of A. vogelii demonstrate anti-obesity activities by inhibiting pancreatic lipase, elevating serotonin and noradrenaline, and increasing leptin sensitivity, leading consequently to decreased body weight of rats. However, the clinical use of EF of A. vogelii as an antiobesity herbal remedy requires further studies on its mechanisms of action.

Keywords: Obesity, Anthocleista vogelii, Lipase, High-fat diet, Cortisol, Serotonin, Noradrenaline, Leptin, Insulin