Regulation of Neuropeptide Y Receptor Gene Expression and ‎Hormone Level in Obese Male Rats Receiving 6-Gingerol and L-Arginine ‎Supplementation

Abstract

Obesity and its associated disorders, such as hyperlipidemia, have become a ‎global issue ‎following the consumption of unhealthy, high-fat, and high-‎carbohydrate foods, which ‎burdens the economies and the ‎health systems of human societies ‎worldwide‎.‎‏‎‏ ‏This study aimed to evaluate ‎the effect of oral consumption of 6-gingerol and L-arginine ‎supplements on ‎serum lipid profile (triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and ‎low-density lipoprotein), obesity factors, insulin, corticosterone and testosterone hormones, ‎and ‎expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) gene in high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) ‎induced ‎obese rats. Thirty rats in five groups were fed a diet specific to each ‎group for 12 weeks ‎and then treated with the oral administration of L-arginine ‎‎(200 mg/day) and 6-gingerol (100 ‎mg/day) for twelve weeks. The food and water ‎intake and weight change were then measured‎. In addition, plasma glucose, ‎triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein ‎‎(HDL), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)‎, low-density ‎lipoprotein (LDL), and serum ‎hormone levels, including corticosterone, testosterone, and insulin, were measured, and NPY, ‎Y1, and Y5 receptor gene expression were recorded using real-time PCR. Administration of ‎‎6-gingerol and L-arginine decreased food intake, ‎weight ‎gain‎, glucose levels, insulin levels, ‎and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index compared to ‎the ‎HCD control group. In addition, corticosterone and testosterone levels in the ‎study groups ‎showed a significant decrease (P