Anti-Obesity Actions of Two Separated Aqueous Extracts From Arbutus (Arbutus unedo) and Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) Fruits Against High-Fat Diet in Rats via Potent Antioxidant Target

Abstract

Arbutus unedo and Crataegus monogyna are widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin and commonly used in folk medicine against a wide range of diseases. Therefore, the present study has been designed to evaluate the anti-obesity potential of two aqueous extracts of the fruits of A. unedo (AUAE) and C. monogyna (CMAE). Male Wistar rats were supplied with a standard diet (SD), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD with the two separated extracts at the same dose (300 mg/kg, BW, p. o.), or HFD with atorvastatin-(ATOR) (2.1 mg/kg, BW, p. o.) for 12 weeks. Lipid profile and the liver and kidney linked-markers were assessed. Besides, obesity-related disorders' biomarkers were measured. AUAE, CMAE, and ATOR were observed to reduce significantly total body and organ weights following HFD-induced obese rat models. Likewise, epididymal and abdominal adipose tissue weights were noticeably decreased in HFD rats treated with both extracts and ATOR. Added to that, biochemical and metabolic changes were normalized by significant attenuation of lipid peroxidation accompanied with an increase of thiol-group concentrations and antioxidant status. More importantly, a modulation in trace element levels was revealed when compared with HFD group. Altogether, current study concluded that AUAE and CMAE could be potential candidates for the prevention and treatment of obesity and related disturbs induced by HFD.

Potential effect of fruit and flower extracts of Arbutus unedo L. on Tetrahymena pyriformis exposed to a cobalt-60 source

“…The A. unedo extracts effectively reduced lipid peroxidation in the irradiated protozoa, with the aqueous fruit extract having a slightly lesser effect (Table 2). This plant is rich in polyphenol and flavonoid compounds (Wahabi et al 2023), which possess antioxidant and radioprotective properties (Dowlath et al 2021). The DPPH test confirmed that the extracts had considerable scavenging activity, with the flower extracts exhibiting higher activity than the fruits.…”

“…Because of its nutritional and medicinal values, several studies have investigated the composition of different extracts of A. unedo. The plant is an important source of phytochemicals, bioactive compounds (phenols, anthocyanins, triterpenes, iridoids, sterols), vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and dietary fiber, which gives it interesting biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and other activities (Wahabi et al 2023).…”

Sargassum horneri extract fermented by Lactiplantibacillus pentosus SH803 mediates adipocyte metabolism in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by regulating oxidative damage and inflammation

“…In adipocytes, apoptosis worsens obesity by increasing macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue 20 . Therefore, recent studies attempt to attenuate obesity through antioxidative treatments 21 , 22 . Similarly, in this study, SHWE and F-SHWE both possessed oxygen radical scavenging effects comparable to ascorbic acid, a commercially used antioxidant (Fig.…”

Exploring the potential of phenolic and antioxidant compounds in new Rosaceae fruits

“…Crataegus fruits have been found to possess several biological effects, like antiobesity 17 antiproliferative, antitumor, anti‐inflammatory, and apoptosis‐inducing activities, among others, which could be associated with their polyphenols content 8,13,18,19 . Phenolic compounds are the principal bioactive compounds in Crataegus and Sorbus species 16,20 .…”